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 - https://nuh.nhs.uk/naip

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

Colleges and universities offer support to students with additional needs. This includes 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. Contact them to see how they can help you.

Disabled Student Allowances

You can apply for Disabled Student Allowances to cover some of the extra costs you may have because of your hearing loss.

For more information visit: https://www.ucas.com/finance/additional-funding/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

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.

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.

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

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) run a scheme called the Technology Test Drive. They offer a try before you buy service that has over 100 different products available for you to borrow, ranging from vibrating alarm clocks to the very latest radio aids and Bluetooth products.

Here’s a link to their website for more information:

https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/technology-for-deaf-children-and-young-people/

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/