As a cochlear implant recipient, how you feel with your device is just as important as your scores on hearing tests with your audio processor, if not more so. Studies have shown that cochlear implants not only can improve an adult’s communication skills but also have positive benefits on their quality of life, self-esteem, and self-confidence.
We interviewed parents of cochlear implant users about their children’s kindergarten and school experiences. This is what they had to say.
Water activities are a joy for everyone, offering fun, social interaction, and physical activity. For cochlear implant users, participating in these activities can be challenging without the right protection for their audio processors. WaterWear is a game-changer, providing a waterproof solution that allows cochlear implant users to hear and engage in water environments.
Listening fatigue is a common experience for hearing aid and hearing implant users. It occurs when it’s necessary to listen to speech for long periods in difficult listening situations: background noise, echo, multiple people talking at the same time, a lack of lip-reading cues. Listening in such environments requires more effort because the listener has to fill in the gaps in the auditory message that they miss due to the noise. This increased listening effort can lead to listening fatigue.
Lara, an 18-year-old from Austria, is a forward on a soccer team. She received her bilateral cochlear implants when she was 9 months old. In this article, she tells us about her experience with cochlear implants, how they enrich her life when it comes to sports, and what tips she has for playing soccer with a cochlear implant.
Traveling anywhere can be chaotic—there’s so much to remember. And with a cochlear implant, there can be even more steps involved. At MED-EL, we aim to make life with a cochlear implant as simple as possible, and that includes going on vacation. Find out what you need to know about going through airport security and flying with your audio processor in this article.
