Is phone use an important goal for many cochlear implant recipients?
Yes, definitely. The telephone is a part of everyday life in today’s world and we rely on it to stay connected at home and at work. Recipients therefore naturally want to be comfortable using the telephone. How do you manage their expectations in this regard? I tell them that phone sounds aren’t as clear and natural as talking to someone in person. Phones cut out some of the sound frequencies of natural speech. Another important factor is that you can no longer lip read or take other visual cues from the speaker’s facial expression and body language. Can most recipients use the phone straight away? Not always. In my experience many recipients, particularly pre-lingual recipients, take a while to adjust to all levels of conversation immediately after switch on, even face-to-face conversation. While some recipients have great success on the phone straight away, for most, mastering this tool takes practice. What are the big challenges? Many cochlear implant recipients want to use the phon
