Happy International Cochlear Implant Day 2016

Today, Thursday 25th February, is International Cochlear Implant Day which celebrates the life changing impact of cochlear implants for deaf people, especially deaf babies and children. Many of the children we work with here at Auditory Verbal^UK have cochlear implants and, alongside a specialist programme of auditory verbal therapy, have had their lives transformed by these astounding developments in modern hearing technology.

Auditory Verbal^UK have been saluting the fantastic achievements of cochlear implant users this International Cochlear Implant Day by sharing the truly amazing progress of some of the graduates from our auditory verbal programme with journalists far and wide. We were delighted that Mumsnet shared Bobby’s story from mum Lauren’s own words and in Sussex the Eastbourne Herald ran a story on the work of Auditory Verbal^UK and one of our beneficiaries, Sam. In Wiltshire, sisters Sade and Topaz have been featured in Blackmore Vale Magazine as well as on their website. It has been fantastic to catch up with our graduates, and to see the far-reaching impact of the work that we do with deaf children and babies with cochlear implants personified in these talented young people.

On top of this, the occasion has brought cochlear implants and the work of Auditory Verbal^UK to the attention of lots of people who were unaware of the incredible listening and spoken language skills that are attainable for deaf children and babies. Several publications across the country have expressed an interest in writing pieces following on from Cochlear Implant Day in the coming months, which is really exciting news.

We are ourselves doing lots to generate publicity around Cochlear Implant Day and raise expectations of deaf children across a range of social media platforms. We have been using the #CochlearImplantDay alongside lots of other people in the hearing loss community, both organisations and individuals, to share and celebrate this transformational technology. Having the chance to share and read the stories of deaf people around the world who have had their lives completely changed by cochlear implants has been an amazing experience. In the lead up to the day we have been sharing our own stories and information about cochlear implants as well as posting some #CIselfie(s) (see below) that show people proudly displaying their implants, and encouraging others to do the same.

Through all of this we have been working to use this fantastic opportunity to spread the good word of what’s possible for deaf children when cochlear implants and auditory verbal therapy are combined – and overall to celebrate the successes of our graduates, for whom life would be very different without cochlear implants.

Happy International Cochlear Implant Day everybody!