God Bless The NHS.. Yesterday Ds2 got blue tooth hearing aids.

[Elderflower14]

Oh Wow. He's so excited. A friend of his recommended them and he got them fitted yesterday. I was at work when he was at his appointment but he rang and told my Mum he could hear music in the waiting room when he came out.. Also when he videocalled me at bedtime his face was so excited when he said he could hear my voice more clearly. He can connect them to his Ipad and IPhone.
I wouldn't have been able to afford to buy them so am beyond grateful to the NHS.

That’s brilliant. So much knocking of the NHS at the moment and so much the NHS just can’t provide due to costs so it’s great that they could do this.

That's wonderful!

I love the NHS and all they've done for me over the years.

That's amazing! I didn't even know bluetooth heading aids were a thing.

Oh how lovely. I remember your threads from old -what a life changer

How wonderful for him! My DD has had a lifetime of ENT, and thanks to her surgeons and technicians, she has an implant with bluetooth and a fantastic career. Without NHS, her life would have been very different.

He used to be a bit of a bugger with his hearing aids. When he was first at his deaf school he used to chew his ear moulds so I was an evil Mumma and one night when he went to bed I painted the moulds with StopnGrow. He was distinctly unimpressed in the morning. The school audiologist on the other hand was VERY impressed and said she would pass on the tip to other parents of, "chewers"...
Another time we went to the zoo and were not having a good day... He took his aids out and dangled them over the crocodile pit!! 🙊 🙊 🙊

Aw this post makes me so hopeful for DD’s future. I have to say they have been an absolutely brilliant support to us after she failed her newborn hearing screening. She got her first ear moulds fitted at 6 weeks old. Fantastic support from our local authority too with monthly visits from our Teacher of the Deaf.
We have no history or experience with deafness in the family so it was a big worry to start, but the technology just keeps getting better and better. Glad to hear your DS is hearing the benefits and has outgrown the rebellious phase!

Fantastic OP

@Jammymare Have you had any contact with NDCS? They have loads of resources and they used to run holidays for deaf children, I'm not sure if they are up and running again after the pandemic but I mention them because if deafness is new in your family your DD might not meet another deaf person for years.

If you are anywhere near Wolverhampton in May 2024 Deafest is worth a visit. There are a number of events for adults and children usually ending with a signed cartoon on the last evening. It doesn't matter if you don't sign, you can still watch the films and everything is interpreted.

@sashh thank you, but we are south coast unfortunately. Our county has its own children’s charity for deaf children that hold regular get togethers. The preschool meet ups have all clashed with audiology appointments so far, but will definitely attend these once she’s a bit older.

Deaf Fest sounds really interesting I expect DS knows about it but I will mention it.
He goes to Deaf Day at City Lit in London every year!

I just want to register a God Bless the NHS too.

Hi everyone it was me I did got my Bluetooth hearing aids I love them and they are really useful and for those who recommend me about deaffest I am planning to go there next year and I usually go City Lit in London for deaf day which I go every year and it was great fun I love it and my Bluetooth hearing aids have been really useful because not only it connected to my iPad or iPhone but it gave me chance to hear lots of different noises etc that I couldn’t hear before and it made me very happy and some people was saying is my speaking good but I had to be honest I do speak but I prefer to use sign language phone typing and I do lip read bit of mixture BSL and Makaton signing too

The people at hospital that my hearing aids fitted have been really lovely and kind also we have a lovely interpreter came to be with me and I was surprised because I knew the hospital usually have to do video call sign video due of Covid risks but a lovely interpreter who I know very well she came and lady who works as audiologist was very kind and great with me I was so excited and I was learning lots more about Bluetooth and how it connected also it funny because while I was in zoom i was sorting something for dinner last night my hearing aids was connecting to my iPad for our zoom session makaton club group and I could hear them singing you got friend in me while wearing my Bluetooth hearing aids and it was amazing!

How do you get Bluetooth hearing aids on the nhs?? My dad is 76 & deaf in one ear & partially deaf in the other ear; he was only offered 'ordinary' hearing aids from the nhs that didn't help him at all.
Luckily he has savings and paid £3k privately for the Bluetooth hearing aids, smartphone app etc. It has changed his life, now he can go to the pub with his mates like any other man for example.
but many people don't have savings.

Oh wow ! There's a few of us parents of HI kids around!. Bluetooth aids are a game changer. I'll look for deaffest

Hey Wilf , lovely to hear you are doing so well.

I hope everything is well with Mum too.

I think it's only kids that get them on the NHS. Children's and adult audiology are world's apart! My DS has hearing aids (Bluetooth, bright colours) while mine are bog-standard grey non-bluetooth ones.

That's so lovely

It not just children but also adults can have those too and they are such a life changing too!

It because I went there for my appointment and I asked the audiologist if I can have them which they said yes and I thought it was only for hearing test that was it but didn’t know they has the new Bluetooth hearing aids and it made me very happy

@RainbowWilf996 contact me nearer the time, I live in Wolverhampton. I've not been to deafest for ages because I was ill, I went when it was 'Deaf film and TV festival'