How Remote Microphones Make a Difference at Home

What is a remote microphone (RM)? 

A remote microphone (RM) is a two-piece device.  

• One piece is a wireless microphone you wear that sends the sounds of your voice directly to your child’s hearing device (the microphone is sometimes referred to as a transmitter). 
• The second piece connects to or is part of your child’s hearing device and is referred to as a receiver because it receives the signal from your microphone. 

Typically, RMs use radio, Bluetooth, or light waves to send the sounds from the microphone to the receiver.  There are different kinds of remote microphones that work with hearing aids, cochlear implants, or bone conduction systems.

Your child’s hearing device may actually come with a remote microphone that you can use.You can begin using it right away! Your pediatric audiologist can help you select and program the RM that works best for your child.  

Why is it important? 

The RM helps your baby hear you even when they're not close to you or are in a noisy environment. That’s most of the places your baby spends time! By overcoming the communication barriers of noise and distance, remote microphones can increase both the quantity and quality of information that reaches your child’s brain — which then becomes their knowledge, skills, and understanding!

Aren’t RMs only used in school and worn by the teacher? 

In the past, RM systems were mostly used in classroom settings. But they’re not just for school anymore! We now know that infants and toddlers can benefit from personal RM systems. For school-aged children, remote microphones can also be used in other settings like sports practice, band, or after-school clubs. At any age, being able to hear in all environments is so important for interacting with others and for academic learning. 

How does an RM help my child at home? 

Studies have found that use of a remote mic at home increases the number of words the child is able to hear by as many as 5,300 words per day! Using RMs increases parent-child conversations and serves as a reminder that you should play the role of “narrator” to fully expose your child to language throughout their day. 

Positive child behaviors have been noted when the RM is used at home, including:

• Improved attention 
• Faster response when called
• Improved communication and speech
• Increased independence and confidence