If you want to contribute to this forum, please contact us »
Forum » Miscellaneous
Gene which causes deafness
Enquiry: Please can you confirm is it Chromosome 22 which carries genetic deafness? If not which one is it? Reply: Possibly the gene you are thinking of is the Connexin 26 gene which, confusingly, is also known as Cx26, DFNA3, DFNB2 or GJB2. It is the only gene causing non-syndromic deafness that can be routinely tested for. It is a recessive gene and in cases where there is a c...
Posted on September 2, 2010 10:41
Read full topic & comment »
Insuring the processor
Enquiry: My wife has just received a cochlear implant. The team suggested to us that we should get insurance for the processor in case it gets lost or damaged. Do you know the details of any insurance companies who will do this please? Reply: This is a grey area. Currently, unless the implant was done privately, the processor is and remains the property of the NHS and in the event of loss should be repl...
Posted on August 6, 2010 14:44
Read full topic & comment »
Air show
Enquiry: I'm taking my daughter aged three to an air show and I'm worried about the effect that it will have on her hearing. She has two cochlear implants. I've read that hearing people should take precautions about noise induced deafness but what about children who have implants? Reply: This should not be a problem as the program is mapped to cut out sounds which are uncomfortable. The audiologist set...
Posted on July 27, 2010 12:57
Read full topic & 1 comment »
CI worn with hijab
Enquiry: I have a pupil who is considering implantation. She is visually impaired and a practicing Muslim. She wears a headscarf for Mosque school and will wear it all the time during Ramadan. She has asked me how she would wear the coil with her scarf and I don't know the answer. Can it be underneath? What would be the effect of the scarf rubbing against the coil? Is it more or less of a problem than the wearing of her hearing aids? Does anyone cut a hole in t...
Posted on July 16, 2010 17:10
Read full topic & 1 comment »
Who pays for batteries?
Enquiry: We're trying to find out who supplies the batteries when a child uses a Freedon processor and Freedom MLX. Our argument is that the child would be using the processor all day any way so the NHS would be supplying the batteries for everyday use. Is there an official line? Reply: We are not aware of any official policy on this but a straw poll would indicated that it is general practice for healt...
Posted on July 5, 2010 17:38
Read full topic & comment »
Camouflaging the headpiece
Enquiry: Are there head pieces/receivers which are more discreet , smaller, or perhaps interchangeable covers for them so it is less obvious? Either NHS or private? My daughter is twelve Reply: It depends on which brand of cochlear implant your child has. If it is an Advanced Bionics implant there are two different options. You can get different covers for the headpiece – these can be plain or patterned. Advanced Bion...
Posted on June 16, 2010 17:07
Read full topic & 1 comment »
Speech and language therapy
Enquiry: Is there a register of qualified speech therapists with cochlear training who could help my 12 year old daughter either NHS or privately? Unfortunately we are not aware of such a register. As far as speech and language therapy on the NHS is concerned, the first place to ask would be at the child’s cochlear implant centre. They will employ SLTs (Speech and Language therapists) who may be able to offer...
Posted on June 16, 2010 12:49
Read full topic & comment »
Using a computer to make phone calls
Enquiry: How do I listen in the phone in the web? Reply: Using the web to communicate is a particularly effective means for deaf people who use sign language or who rely on lip reading as, with the right programme and equipment, you can see the person you are talking to. In order to see the person to whom you are talking, you need to have a web cam. A web cam can be bought relat...
Posted on May 18, 2010 17:17