DREAM™ USER INSTRUCTIONS THE DREAM™ SERIES D-FS model RIC/RITE Receiver-in-canal/Receiver-in-the-ear
YOUR WIDEX HEARING AID (To be filled out by the hearing care professional) DREAM440 DREAM330 DREAM220 DREAM110 Programs: Master Audibility Extender Music Audibility Extender TV Audibility Extender Comfort Audibility Extender Reverse focus Audibility Extender Phone Audibility Extender T Audibility Extender M+T Audibility Extender Zen Audibility Extender Master + Zen Audibility Extender Master + Reverse focus Audibility Extender Mast
CONTENTS SYMBOLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 THE HEARING AID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Acoustic indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Inserting the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Battery drawer without a nail grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SYMBOLS The following symbols will be used throughout the manual: WARNING Messages with this heading indicate serious adverse reactions, potential safety hazards and inadequate performance of device. CAUTION Messages with this heading indicate/include information regarding any special care to be exercised. Not for general waste.
THE HEARING AID The illustration below shows the hearing aid without the ear-set. The choice of ear-set solution depends on your specific needs. Please refer to the separate ear-set user manual. 1. 2. 3. 4.
NOTE In addition to these user instructions, a separate user manual is provided describing the various ear-set solutions available for your hearing aid: “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing aids”. WARNING This booklet and the manual “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing aids” contain important information and instructions. Read these booklets carefully before you start using the hearing aid. NOTE Your hearing aid, ear-set and accessories may not look exactly as illustrated in this booklet.
They are to be programmed by licensed hearing care professionals (audiologists, hearing aid specialists, otolaryngologists) who are trained in hearing (re)habilitation. Description of device Your hearing aid is used with an ear-set which consists of an earwire and an earpiece, in which the receiver is placed. The hearing aid uses a proprietary wireless technology, the WidexLink, to enable communication between the left and the right hearing aid, as well as between the hearing aids and the DEX accessories.
Acoustic indicators The hearing aid may be set to produce a signal to indicate the use of certain functions. The signal may be a spoken message or tones. The signal can also be deactivated.
The battery We recommend zinc-air batteries. Use a size 312 battery for the hearing aid. To obtain replacement batteries, please consult your hearing care professional. It is important to take note of the expiry date and the recommendations on the battery pack regarding disposal of used batteries. Otherwise there is a risk that the battery life may be reduced. Inserting the battery Before inserting a new battery into the hearing aid, remember to remove the adhesive tab.
Use the nail grip to gently swing the battery drawer completely open. Do not press the drawer beyond the open position. Place the battery in the drawer, so that the plus (+) sign on the battery faces upward. You can use the battery magnet provided to steer the battery into place. + If the battery drawer does not close easily, the battery is incorrectly inserted. When changing battery, it is a good idea to hold the hearing aid over a table.
Battery drawer without a nail grip The hearing aid may be provided with a battery drawer without a nail grip, which means that you need a tool to open the battery drawer. This type of drawer can be a good choice if the hearing aid is worn by a child. A special tool for opening the drawer will be included with this drawer.
Low battery indication An acoustic indicator will sound when the battery is nearly exhausted, unless this function has been disabled (see page 8). We recommend that you always have a spare battery with you. WARNING Never leave an exhausted battery in the hearing aid. Exhausted batteries may leak, damaging the hearing aid. WARNING Your hearing aid may stop functioning, for instance if the battery is exhausted.
Turning the hearing aid on and off The battery drawer of the hearing aid also functions as the on/off switch. Close the battery drawer to turn on the hearing aid. An acoustic indicator will indicate that the hearing aid has been switched on, unless this function has been disabled. To turn off the hearing aid, open the battery drawer slightly to the first position where a click is felt. NOTE: Another way to verify that the hearing aid is turned on is to cup it in your hand. If it is on, it will whistle.
Right/left identification If you wear hearing aids on both ears, the hearing aids can be provided with coloured marks (red mark = right and blue mark = left). The arrow shows the position of the identification mark.
Positioning the hearing aid Insert the earpiece in the ear canal while holding the lower part of the earwire. It may help to pull the outer ear backwards and upwards with the opposite hand. Place the hearing aid behind the ear, so that the hearing aid and earwire rest comfortably on the ear, close to your head. The illustrations show an open ear-tip. For further information on ear-tip/earmould types, anchors and procedures, see the separate ear-set user manual provided.
Removing the hearing aid Remove the hearing aid from its position behind the ear. Carefully pull the earpiece out of the ear canal, while holding the lower part of the earwire. If the earpiece is provided with an extraction cord, take hold of this and carefully pull the earpiece out of the ear canal.
Volume adjustment The hearing aid volume is adjusted automatically in accordance with your sound environment. If you have a remote control, you can also adjust the volume manually or mute your hearing aid. Any adjustment of the volume setting will be cancelled when your hearing aid is turned off, or when you change program. Depending on hearing aid features and setting, any change you make will affect both hearing aids.
To mute the hearing aid with a remote control: Keep pressing the volume down key on the remote control after the long beep-tone has sounded and until it stops. Pressing one of the volume keys briefly will bring back the sound. NOTE: Your hearing aid can be set to gradually increase the amplification provided to allow you to acclimatize yourself to the sound through the hearing aid. Therefore you may notice an increase in level after a period of time.
Programs Your hearing aid may be provided with several of the following programs, plus the special Zen program called Zen+. In some DREAM hearing aids, the Phone+ program can be made available instead of Zen+. Master Standard Music For listening to music TV For listening to the TV Comfort Attenuates background noise Reverse focus Focus on sounds from behind Phone For listening to the telephone T In this program you listen via the telecoil (T) and not via the hearing aid microphones (M).
Phone+* For phone use only. Transmits the telephone sound received in one hearing aid to the other hearing aid. Note that the microphones on the hearing aid to which the sound is transmitted are turned off. * only in some DREAM hearing aids Your hearing aid has a function called the Audibility Extender. This feature makes high frequency sounds audible, and can be set to operate for one or more or all available programs. If your needs change over time, the combination of listening programs can be altered.
Zen program Your hearing aid may be provided with a unique optional listening program called Zen. It makes musical tones (and sometimes a rushing noise) in the background. The Zen program may be used alone (without amplification) in quiet when you are not required to hear surrounding sounds. Or, it may be used with amplification so both the surrounding sounds and the generated sounds (fractal tones and noise) are heard together.
Benefits The Zen program may provide a relaxing listening background for some people. When the Zen program is used in a tinnitus management program, its wearer may experience some relief from tinnitus. Indications for use The Zen program is intended to provide a relaxing sound background (i.e., music/noise source) for adults who desire to listen to such a background in quiet.
Switching between the listening programs To change programs, press the program button briefly. Each time you switch to another program, an acoustic indicator will sound unless this function has been disabled.
Zen+ This program is accessed via a long press (more than 1 second) on the program button on the hearing aid or the RC-DEX. A short press then allows you to cycle through the available Zen styles. You can exit Zen+ by pressing and holding the program button for more than 1 second. Phone+ If your hearing aid is programmed with Phone+ instead of Zen+, this program is accessed via a long press (more than 1 second) on the program button on the hearing aid.
Using a telephone When using a telephone, we recommend that you hold the telephone against your head at an angle above your ear, rather than directly against the ear. If the sound is not optimal, try moving the telephone earpiece to a slightly different position.
CLEANING The following cleaning accessories are available for the hearing aid and ear-set*. For cleaning the ear-set, see the user manual “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing aids”. 1. Cloth 2. Wax removing tool 3. Brush 1 2 3 Contact your hearing care professional if you need additional supplies of cleaning accessories.
The hearing aid Clean the hearing aid with the cloth provided after use. WARNING Never use water or cleaning solutions to clean the hearing aid, as this may cause it to malfunction. When the hearing aid is not in use, keep it in a warm, dry place with the battery drawer open, to ventilate the hearing aid and allow it to dry.
ACCESSORIES A variety of assistive listening devices are available for your hearing aid.
IN CASE OF MALFUNCTION Problem Potential cause Solution The hearing aid is completely silent The hearing aid is not turned on Make sure the battery drawer is completely closed The battery does not Insert a new battery in work the hearing aid The hearing aid volume is not powerful enough Your ear is blocked by earwax Contact your ENT doctor/physician Your hearing may have changed Contact your hearing care professional The hearing aid whistles continuously Your ear is blocked by earwax Contact yo
Problem Potential cause Solution You hear a. The battery in one a. Replace battery in “interrupted” of the hearing aids one or both hearing speech (on and has expired aids off) from the b. Strong electrob. Move away from hearing aids or magnetic interferknown sources of no speech ence in the vicininterference (muted) from ity the transmitting ear. Note: This information covers only the hearing aid. See the “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing aids” user manual for information specific to your ear-set.
CARING FOR YOUR HEARING AID The hearing aid is a valuable object and should be treated with care. Here are some things you can do to prolong the life of your hearing aid: CAUTION • Turn off your hearing aid when it is not in use. Remove the battery if the hearing aid will not be used for several days. • When the hearing aid is not in use, keep it in its case in a dry location out of reach of children and pets. • Do not expose the hearing aid to extreme temperatures or high humidity.
WARNINGS WARNING Hearing aids and batteries can be dangerous if swallowed or used improperly. Swallowing or improper use can result in severe injury or even fatalities. In case of ingestion, contact a physician immediately. • Keep hearing aids and their parts, accessories and batteries out of reach of children and anyone else who might swallow such items or otherwise cause injury to themselves. Do not change batteries in front of them and do not let them see where you keep your battery supply.
WARNING • The hearing aid is made of modern non-allergenic materials. Nonetheless, in rare cases skin irritation may occur. If you notice skin irritation in or around your ear or ear canal, contact your hearing care professional. • Please note that when using any type of hearing aid, you must allow regular ventilation of the ear. If the ear is not adequately ventilated, there may be a slightly increased risk of infection or disease in the ear canal.
WARNING • Do not wear your hearing aid during radiation, X-rays, MRIs, CT or other medical treatments and scans. The emissions from these procedures as well as from other types of radiation, such as that in a microwave oven, can damage your hearing aid. Radiation from, for example, room surveillance equipment, burglar alarms and mobile phones is weaker and will not damage the hearing aid, but may create audible interference.
ADVICE NOTE • The hearing aid will not restore normal hearing and will not prevent or improve a hearing loss resulting from organic conditions. However, the hearing aid can help you to make the best possible use of your remaining hearing ability. You should also bear in mind that it can take time to get used to a new hearing aid and new sounds. • In most cases, using the hearing aid infrequently will not permit you to gain full benefit from it.
Adapting to your hearing aids Congratulations for taking the first steps toward restoring your communication skills with the purchase of state-of-the-art hearing aids from Widex. Because many of the sounds you may now hear have not been fully audible without hearing aids, we urge you to take a few minutes to perform the following simple activities in the order listed. Do these first in quiet settings, then try them in noisier surroundings.
• We hear in our brain, not in our ears. It will take your brain some time to fully adapt to the new sounds you are hearing. It is not unusual, for example, to hear certain sounds, such as your own footsteps, or a newspaper rustling, or the refrigerator humming, that people with normal hearing take for granted and thus don’t consciously process. Be patient and allow yourself a few weeks to adapt. Your brain will learn to ignore them if they are not important.
REGULATORY INFORMATION FCC ID: TTY-DFS IC: 5676B-DFS Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Changes or modifications to the equipment not expressly approved by Widex could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. Industry Canada Statement/Déclaration d’industrie Canada Under Industry Canada regulations, this radio transmitter may only operate using an antenna of a type and maximum (or lesser) gain approved for the transmitter by Industry Canada.
Hereby, Widex A/S declares that this D-FS is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC. A copy of the Declaration of Conformity can be found at: http://www.widex.
Hearing aids, accessories and batteries should not be disposed of with normal household waste. Please consult your national Widex distributor for advice on how to dispose of these items.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM FORMS Programs available in your hearing aid: Program 1: Program 2: Program 3: Program 4: Program 5: Special program: 42
Programs available in your hearing aid: Program 1: Program 2: Program 3: Program 4: Program 5: Special program: 43
Manufacturer ¡9 514 0165 041Y¤ ¡#01v¤ Printed by HTO / 2012-09 9 514 0218 001 #01
