Ei Ei Thaw Zin’s teacher noticed that she was not responding in class as usual. It was strange as Ei Ei Thaw Zin was normally a lively student, but she seemed to have become more withdrawn lately. The teacher checked her hearing aids and they were working well, so she decided to keep an eye on her. This went on for a couple of days and the aids were still working.
However, when the teacher checked the earmoulds, she noticed that the tube on the right was blocked with wax. Using her hearing aid care kit (supplied by Mandalay charity), she removed the blocked tube and replaced it with a new one. Within minutes, once the new tube had been cut to the correct length, Ei Ei Thaw Zin was beaming from ear to ear! She pointed at her right ear and smiled, saying it was working again.
A well-fitting earmould is the plumbing needed to connect the hearing aid into the child’s ear. If it does not fit properly, then the sound leaks from the ear canal and the hearing aid ‘whistles’, distorting the amplified sound. If the tubing is broken or goes hard then the child will not hear the amplified sound adequately.
A regular donation of £15 would ensure that Ei Ei Thaw Zin’s teacher has a supply of earmould tubing to replace broken or blocked tubing throughout the school year. This will enable students like Ei Ei Thaw Zin to have a consistent listening – and learning – experience.