Radio aids, wireless accessories and environmental aids for children

Radio aids

When your child is at nursery or school they will most likely be provided with an FM system or radio aid. This equipment is primarily funded by the education system. This may be newly issued to your child or they may already have been using one with their hearing aids.

An FM system/radio aid is a small wireless receiver device that attaches to your child’s processor in order for them to receive signals from a transmitter which is worn by the teacher.

This helps improve the clarity of the teacher’s voice so it may be heard better over the level of other children in the classroom (also known as improving the ‘signal to noise ratio’).

Depending on which processor your child has, the FM system/radio aid will work automatically or we may need to add a separate programme to enable its usage. Your audiologist will be able to advise you on this.

Different processors will be compatible with different FM/radio aids. When your child is ready to receive an FM/Radio aid, your child’s teacher of the deaf should contact us in order to find out which device your school will need to order.

The table in the PDF below also shows which FM system/Radio aid should be compatible with each processor.

Radio aids and FM systems PDF

Wireless accessories

Currently, you will have been offered to choose one wireless accessory either when you chose your child’s processor kit or soon after their switch-on.

These wireless accessories aim to improve the signal to noise ratio for use at home or during play activities or group/sport lessons. The accessories offered will have depended upon which company you have chosen.

Cochlear

You will have been asked to choose the following:

Mini mic 2

Advanced bionics

Compilot with either of the following:

Roger Select iN

The Compilot when used alone can connect to a variety of Bluetooth devices such as tablets and telephones to help the clarity of sound reaching your child’s processors.

Your audiologist will be able to help you set up your equipment in an appropriate tuning session. This may be several weeks or months following switch on depending upon the progress of programming and the age of your child.

Additional wireless accessories are also available to purchase directly from the cochlear implant companies.

Environmental aids for older children and teenagers

In addition, for older children and teenagers, there is a range of equipment for those who use cochlear implants that may help to improve what is heard.

You can purchase the additional equipment or it may be possible to obtain it on long term loan from your local social services department.

Depending on where you live equipment from social services is either free, means tested or you may have to pay a contribution. Each social services department has their own eligibility criteria and range of equipment.

Please ask the cochlear implant team for advice about the type of equipment you might find helpful and how to go about obtaining it.

It is possible to obtain additional equipment to help hear or be alerted to:

Television
Telephone or mobile
Computer, laptop or tablet
Doorbell
Alarm clock
Smoke and baby alarm

Product catalogues

For more information about the type and range of equipment available, please refer to the product catalogues from the following companies and organisations:

Radio aids

Wireless accessories

Cochlear

Advanced bionics

Environmental aids for older children and teenagers

Product catalogues

Sarabec

Connevans

BT including you

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