These guidelines can help ensure you hear your best no matter what costume you choose
It’s that time of year again: crunchy leaves underfoot, a crisp chill in the air, beautiful fall colors, apple cider, shorter days and longer nights, and of course, Halloween! With 23% of Americans and 44% of Canadians naming Halloween as their favorite holiday, this is certainly a popular festivity. Dressing up can pose a challenge for folks living with a hearing loss but fear not! These tips can help you avoid common pitfalls and make the most of All Hallows Eve.
Embrace Your Tech
If you wear hearing aids, you may not have thought of incorporating them into a costume, but they’re the perfect accessory for sci-fi themed ensembles. Characters from Star Wars, Star Trek, and the Marvelverse commonly wear high tech gear and futuristic clothing. Your hearing devices will fit right in and add a touch of authenticity that other people’s costumes won’t have. Be careful about attaching anything to your devices, though. While there are many stickers, jewels, and other accoutrements safe for adhesion to hearing aids, homemade adornments could damage them. When in doubt, ask your audiologist!
Hide Your Tech
For some hearing aid users, particularly children, it may be desirable to disguise hearing devices rather than plan a costume around them. This is easily accomplished with a wig, helmet, hat, headdress, or any other piece that covers the ears. Sounds simple enough, right? But hold on — it requires a bit more thought, because you’ll want to avoid anything that presses or pulls on the hearing aid and ensure the easily tangled strands of a wig don’t get wrapped around the tubing. Similarly, the confines of hard plastic or metal headgear (if you’re dressing up as a knight, for example) can potentially create acoustic feedback. While it may not look as impressive, softer materials such as cardboard and foam are better choices.
Optimize Hearing Even Without Technology
Even if you have normal hearing, beware of costumes that may impede communication. Dressing up as Darth Vader might seem like a great idea, but what if you can’t hear well inside that huge helmet? Also consider that any mask covering your mouth will make it more difficult for the people around you to understand what you’re saying. Classic masked horror characters like Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Ghostface don’t do much talking, but if you’re the chatty type and looking forward to mingling at a Halloween party, these may not be the best costumes for you! Choosing a costume that relies on makeup rather than a mask is a better bet for good hearing and communication.
Getting into the spooky spirit doesn’t have to mean missing out on conversation. Call today for a hearing screening.