Binaural hearing aids: are they dangerous for children?

We report a case in which a child suffered apparently permanent damage to residual hearing due to use of a powerful hearing aid. After review of the literature on damage to residual hearing by powerful hearing aids, we suggest that due caution should be observed in the prescription and monitoring of hearing aid usage for hearing-impaired children. Uncritical advocacy of powerful binaural aids is challenged as a potentially dangerous practice.