If the child has an audiological deficit, have the parents considered getting him a hearing aid? One that’s inconspicuous and fits well within the ear so that he can hear without having to stress about visibility? Also, I don’t know if it would help, but I just got a new pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds that are Bluetooth/wireless; they have an Ambient Mode setting that allows you to have them in but still hear ambient noise, as well as turn on a feature that makes voices heard more clearly than the surrounding background noise. Maybe he could try something like that as well? I’d still go with the hearing aid option though, since he’ll probably need this accommodation well beyond high school.