Answers to Lillie's questions

All the cochlear implant companies have their own websites and there are many YouTube videos to help with caring for and troubleshooting your equipment as well as using additional accessories. You can find further information and ‘how to’ guides on each individual cochlear implant company website and information on our NAIP website:

Nottingham Auditory Implant Programme - Aftercare and support | NUH

Cochlear – https://www.cochlear.com/uk/home

Med El – https://www.medel.com

Advanced Bionics – https://advancedbionics.com/uk/en/home.html

Oticon - https://www.oticonmedical.com/cochlear-implants

Schools, Colleges and Universities offer support to students with additional needs. Including help with equipment such as laptops, radio aids and streamers, accommodation, specialist staff such as Teachers of the Deaf, note takers and interpreters, additional time and support in exams, additional finance and pastoral care. Each college or university will have their own Student Support Services you can contact.

Disabled Student Allowances

You can apply for Disabled Student Allowances, these funds can be used support access to support and equipment to help you succeed in Higher Education.

Access to Work 

Access to Work is a government scheme that can help you get into or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. An Access to Work grant could help pay for any assistive devices or communication support you need at work.

When starting a job your employer has a legal responsibility to make any changes necessary for you to do your job properly. You may need to use interpreters or need specialist equipment to help you at work.

Your employer must make changes (known as ‘reasonable adjustments’) to make sure you’re not struggling or disadvantaged when doing your job. These could include changing your working hours or providing equipment to support you in different situations.

NAIP have produced a leaflet which gives information on how you can make the most of your hearing and how others can help. It includes some strategies for improving communication and a range of useful links. Download the leaflet here:  Improving communication for people with hearing loss

Here are a few useful links from the leaflet to get you started:

Hearing Link is a charity which focuses on giving people  knowledge, skills and confidence to be able to manage the challenges hearing loss can bring:

https://www.hearinglink.org

RNID provides a range of services to support people and provides leaflets on different aspects of communication:

https://rnid.org.uk/

There are lots of different technologies available to support you using the telephone with your cochlear implant, including Bluetooth technology. More information about this can be found on the individual cochlear implant company websites.

NAIP can provide telephone training where appropriate, so ask at your appointment or contact us for more information. Using Face Time or other video calling technology that allows you to see a speaker’s face is very helpful. Similarly some apps like MS Teams have live captions embedded which can really help. 

There are many companies online that sell a range of equipment such as amplifiers to support listening on the phone. If you Google ‘technology for Deaf people using a phone’ you can find more information about what is available. Here are a few you could take a look at:

Connevans- https://www.connevans.co.uk/page/index

RNID - https://rnid.org.uk/

Living made Easy - https://livingmadeeasy.org.uk

You can listen to music out loud with your processors or by streaming directly to them with Bluetooth. We have created some leaflets you can look at with more advice on how to listen and enjoy music using your processors:

  Listening to Music Factsheet
  Listening to Music Leaflet

 

There are a range of different accessories such as mini microphones, TV streamers and phone clips that can be used with your processors. Each individual cochlear implant website will have further information.

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) has a comprehensive list of assistive technology you may find useful: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/technology-for-deaf-children-and-young-people/