Somerset, NJ June 2 -- As part of the company's commitment to child friendly hearing care solutions, Oticon Pediatrics will provide a free Ear Gear hearing aid retention device with each Oticon hearing instrument ordered for children, ages birth to 3 years old. The Ear Gear, from Canadian manufacturer Ear Gear Company, is designed to prevent hearing aid loss and protect a child's hearing instruments from dirt, perspiration and rain. "Our goal is to give parents the support they need to enable their children to obtain full benefit from their Oticon hearing devices," states Maureen Doty, MA, CCC-A, Marketing Manager for Oticon Pediatrics. "We believe Ear Gear will provide a valuable tool for parents who have found that keeping hearing aids securely on their child's ears is sometimes a challenge. From our work with practitioners and educators, we know that getting youngsters off to a great and early start with their hearing solutions maximizes a child's opportunity to realize his or her full potential."
Doty explains that Oticon chose Ear Gear because of its innovative design and superior benefits for active young wearers. "We can't expect very young children to be responsible for their hearing devices. Play or occasionally tiny, curious hands can dislodge devices," she notes. "Ear Gear provides the kind of 'safety net' that youngsters need and at the same time, is comfortable to wear and protects the instruments against loss."
Ear Gear encases the hearing aid with a water resistant nylon/spandex fabric sleeve and securely attaches to a child's clothing with a small cord and clip. The soft fabric covering makes hearing aids more comfortable to wear and protects the hearing aid from the elements. Ear Gear founder Mark Rosal developed the Ear Gear "Infant" style after his own frustration with safety devices that had some -- but never all -- of the details needed to help his young daughter comfortably and securely wear her hearing aids. With advice from a pediatric audiologist, Rosal designed a short cord that would be a better fit and safer for infants and children under age 3. The cord is composed of a durable nylon exterior with a synthetic rubber interior and a small but sturdy steel clip.
While the controls on most hearing aids fitted to young children are typically disabled to prevent unwanted manipulation by the child, parents can access any active controls by simply sliding the Ear Gear back. If the fit on the hearing aid is tight, parents can also manipulate the controls through the lightweight fabric.
All children ages birth to 3 years who receive a free pair of Sky Blue Infant Ear Gear from Oticon are also eligible to take advantage of a special offer from Oticon. Parents may purchase a second pair of Ear Gear devices at the discounted price of $18.95 USD plus the standard $5.00 shipping/handling charge, resulting in a savings of $3.00 off Ear Gear's usual retail price.
For more information on Oticon hearing devices and the new Ear Gear offer, contact Maureen Doty at mdd@oticonus.com or 1-888-OTI-PED1 (888-684-7331); www.oticonusa.com
For more information on Ear Gear, log on to www.gearforears.com
