If you’ve been diagnosed with hearing loss, hearing aids are one of the most common, effective treatments. These tiny instruments are crucial to hearing and communicating on daily basis, so it’s important to keep them in good working condition. This includes cleaning and protecting them from damage.

No one wants to hear the sickening crunch of a broken hearing aid. Even if you clean your hearing aids daily and follow other good care practices, accidents can happen – and many of them are avoidable. Following these three tips can help you avoid some of the most common causes of unnecessary hearing aid damage.

1. Keep your hearing aids away from small children and pets

Small children and pets have three things in common: they’re cute, they like to put things in their mouths, and they can be destructive. Hearing instrument specialists are used to seeing hearing aids that were bitten, eaten, crushed and otherwise destroyed by children and animals. Besides the damage they can cause, children and pets can be hurt or endangered if they choke on a hearing aid. Don’t run the risk of either: keep your hearing aid well out of reach of children and pets.

In addition, teach older children what your hearing aids do and how they help you so they understand the importance of not playing with or abusing them.

2. Keep your hearing aids safe from high impact

Have you ever dropped a hearing aid and picked it up anxiously to see if it was damaged? Modern hearing aids are more durable than ever, but they’re not invulnerable to high impact. To avoid dropping your hearing aid on hard surfaces (or stepping on them once they’ve fallen), follow the practice of inserting and removing them while you’re seated. You might want to also lean your head over a soft surface such as a blanket.

If you hear something fall, look around before taking a step. If you drop your hearing aid outside, have a friend or neighbor help you cautiously scan the ground for it.

Finally, makes sure your hearing aids fit well. Not only does this prevent them from falling out; it keeps them performing their best. If your hearing aids aren’t fitting well, be sure to visit your hearing instrument specialist for an adjustment.