If you wear a bone anchored hearing aid and have been wondering whether a standard BAHA headband or a wide BAHA headband is right for you, you’ve come to the right place!
This week on the BAHA Accessories blog, we’re taking a closer look at the similarities and differences between these two different types of headband to help you figure out which will work best for you and your device.
What Is a Standard BAHA Headband?
Our standard BAHA headbands are narrow headbands made from fold-over elastic (often abbreviated to FOE). They measure just 1.6cm in width and since they’re elasticated, they can stretch easily to accommodate a range of head sizes. This makes them ideal when buying a BAHA headband for a baby or child who’s continually growing. However all our headbands (both standard and wider width) are fully adjustable and can be worn by children, teens and adults at any age (or head size)!
Standard BAHA headbands can be worn with several different types of bone anchored hearing aids, such as Cochlear BAHA, Oticon Ponto, Medel Adhear and BHM Contact Mini.
What Is a Wide BAHA Headband?
As their name suggests, wide BAHA headbands are wider than a standard headband, at around 5cms and are made from both fabric and elastic, meaning they have less ‘give’ than a standard headband, and we will need accurate measurements from you to ensure a good fit.
We designed our wide headband range specifically to accommodate the BHM Contact Mini hearing aid as this type of hearing aid system is much better suited to a wider band.
We soon realised that many other BAHA wearers preferred a wider band or liked having the option to choose between the two styles. The great news is that our wide headbands can accommodate all the same hearing aid systems as a standard BAHA headband, plus the BHM Contact Mini, Cochlear Implant/BTE and Pure Tone.
How Do I Know Which Headband Is Right For Me?
There are many similarities between standard BAHA headbands and wide BAHA headbands.
- Both are fully customisable and available in a wide range of different designs and colourways.
- They can both be worn by babies, children, teenagers and adults of all ages.
- They are fully adjustable.
- They’re backed with non-slip silicone to help them stay in place.
- Both are available for unilateral (single) or bilateral (double) BAHAs.
- They are supplied with a safety line anchor as standard.
The main difference between the two bands is the width difference and the materials used, plus the fact you’ll need to take measurements to get the right fit for your wide headband.
If you wear a:
Cochlear BAHA, Oticon Ponto, Medel Adhear, then you can wear either a standard or wide headband depending on your personal preference.
If you wear a:
BHM Contact Mini, Cochlear Implant, BTE or Pure Tone BAHA, your device will better suit a wide headband.
How to Measure For a BAHA Headband
For a wide headband, you’ll need to measure from the top of one ear, across the top of the head, following the natural line where you want your headband to sit, over to the top of your other ear.
Our standard BAHA headbands come in three sizes:
Size 1: Baby
Size 2: Child
Size 3: Adult
If you’re struggling to get measurements, need additional guidance or aren’t sure what size to order, please just ask and we’ll be happy to help.
Get In Touch
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the different types of headbands available for bone anchored hearing aids. For more tips and advice about all things BAHA related, please do check out the BAHA Accessories blog.
If you’re still not sure which of our products is for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll do our best to help. Alternatively, you can give us a call on 07432 620644 or email sales@bahaaccessoriesuk.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. We look forward to hearing from you!