Author: Jen Schulz

RESULTS
Heading back to school with a cochlear implant: Building confidence, self-advocacy, and understanding

Heading back to school with a cochlear implant: Building confidence, self-advocacy, and understanding

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Growing Confidence, One Step at a Time   “I like the way my white processors show up against my hair because I can show them off better.” That was the response I received from my then seven-year-old daughter, Mila, when I asked whether she preferred wearing her white or brown pair of Cochlear® Nucleus® 7 … Continued

Life After Cochlear Implant Surgery: Carole’s Inspiring Story

Life After Cochlear Implant Surgery: Carole’s Inspiring Story

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A Second Chance to Hear: Carole’s passion to help others with cochlear implants My name is Carole S. and I’m a speech-language pathologist, a certified academic language therapist, and a dyslexia specialist. Throughout my career, communication has been at the heart of everything I do. Helping others develop language and literacy skills has been both … Continued

photo of woman with glasses standing with a sign that says “let’s make some art”; inspire us recipient artwork blog

Meet the artists whose work, based upon their recipient experience, is displayed in the hallways of Cochlear North America headquarters

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Erica became a recipient for 24 years and uses a Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor Erica’s Nucleus sound processor opened up an entirely new world of hearing – one she hadn’t realized she was missing with her behind‑the‑ear hearing aid. She had to retrain her brain to recognize new sounds and speech patterns, but the … Continued

Why early planning matters for a Cochlear sound processor upgrade

Why early planning matters for a Cochlear sound processor upgrade

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Steps to take before submitting an upgrade order Upgrading is more than just getting new technology. There are a few important steps to plan for when starting the process to upgrade your Cochlear™ sound processor: Stay connected with your clinic Make sure you’ve checked in with your clinic within the last 24 months, so your … Continued

Make your sound processor upgrade more affordable with 0% financing

Make your sound processor upgrade more affordable with 0% financing

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How the 0% Payment Plan works 0% interest for up to 12 months Finance any amount from $500 to $3,500 per device Applies only to your out‑of‑pocket cost after insurance has been applied No interest, no additional fees Payments are divided into equal monthly installments, with a minimum monthly payment of $95. Your first payment … Continued

Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor end of service and support

Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor end of service and support

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What does end of service and support mean? As of January 31, 2026, recipients in the US are no longer able to: Purchase parts and accessories for Nucleus 7 Sound Processors or Repair out-of-warranty Nucleus 7 Sound Processors. Exceptions are for recipients with: A Nucleus CI22M cochlear implant or An insurance plan  I have a … Continued

Julie's piano in the middle of her living room.

Finding my way back to music after losing my hearing

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“Hello, I’m Julie! I’m 73 years old, a retired language and music teacher, and I live north of Montreal. For most of my life, music wasn’t just something I enjoyed — it was part of who I was. I majored in piano performance in university. But everything changed when I contracted rubella, or German measles. … Continued

Have your Cochlear Nucleus sound processor upgrade shipped Ready-to-Wear so that you can wear it right away

Have your Cochlear Nucleus sound processor upgrade shipped Ready-to-Wear so that you can wear it right away

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Getting a sound processor upgrade can be an exciting and anticipated occasion. The upgrade process typically takes 6-8 weeks from order placement to receiving your new sound processor in the mail. Did you know there is an option of receiving your new Cochlear™ Nucleus or Kanso sound processor upgrade pre-programmed so you can wear the … Continued

Stay connected and supported with these cochlear implant listening apps

Stay connected and supported with these cochlear implant listening apps

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Apps to help you improve your listening   If you’re looking for more ways to practice your listening skills, try these apps that are designed to support people with hearing loss and cochlear implants:  Nature Sounds: App for listening to nature sounds. Coffitivity: App that simulates background noise like being in a restaurant, etc. TOEIC Listening: … Continued

Musician Richard Reed smiling while he plays the piano

A musician’s advice for reconnecting with music with your cochlear implant

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Research shows that practice and persistence over time improves music appreciation and enjoyment with cochlear implants. As a professional musician, Richard found it critical to re-introduce music to his life after losing his hearing. But he realized that enjoying music after receiving a cochlear implant requires time and effort.    “When I first got my … Continued

Girl wearing a Nucleus Kanso sound processor looking through a telescope.

How streaming to their cochlear implant can help your child stay connected and improve listening skills

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Streaming is a great way for your child or teen to stay connected – and it’s proven to offer benefits in hearing with a sound processor. As well as helping your child enjoy more types of entertainment, listen to phone calls and even study, it can also help to improve their listening skills. Much research … Continued

Girl smiling in school with classmates showing her white Nucleus sound processor.

4 must-know tips to navigate the teen years with hearing loss

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Looking for strategies to help your child live confidently through the teenage years with hearing loss? To help, we asked teens, parents and a peer support group manager to share their tips for navigating a challenging life stage. Here are their top tips: 1. Don’t pressure for information  You might want to encourage your child … Continued

Must-know tips to care for your cochlear implant sound processor

Must-know tips to care for your cochlear implant sound processor

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Wearing your device for prolonged periods every day exposes it to perspiration, dirt and natural oils. So, how can you maximize its performance and even lengthen its life? There are a few simple steps to follow: Keep your sound processor dry Wipe down your sound processor with a soft cloth every night to help keep … Continued

A Cochlear Nucleus recipient with a group of friends smiling and talking at a bowling alley.

4 tips to help your child improve social skills with a cochlear implant

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Research shows that children with hearing loss can be at risk of delayed social skill development needed to “fit in” at school and beyond, compared to their hearing peers. “Because of their hearing loss, they grow up in a ‘hearing bubble’ where it is difficult to easily participate in conversation with friends and family when … Continued

Read below for your essential travel checklist for your cochlear implant

Read below for your essential travel checklist for your cochlear implant

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What to know before you go Note important phone numbers, email addresses and website information of your hearing health professional and doctor in case you have any issues while traveling. Visit the Cochlear™ Clinic Finder to locate the closest clinic for where you’re staying. Change your microphone covers if needed to avoid any disruption to … Continued

How to make the most of phone calls, music and more with wireless streaming from your cochlear implant

How to make the most of phone calls, music and more with wireless streaming from your cochlear implant

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Being able to stream audio from a smartphone or other device is often referred to as direct streaming. You can experience high quality sound streamed direct to your Nucleus® Nexa™ sound processor from compatible smartphones and devices. How direct streaming helps you hear more clearly Much research has been done on how direct streaming can … Continued

Two toddlers playing with musical toys on a carpeted floor in a living room, with a woman sitting on a sofa in the background.

8 ways to use singing and music to boost your child’s brain development

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Did you know there’s a strong connection between musical activities and the development of speech and language skills in children with hearing loss or cochlear implants? Here are eight ways to incorporate musical activities into your child’s daily life to help boost their communication skills.  1. Start as soon as you can  Children can benefit … Continued

A swimmer sitting cross-legged by a pool, adjusting goggles, with Cochlear accessory cases on the ground.

Sports, swimming, and beach holidays—navigating water activities for a child with a cochlear implant

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While Cochlear™ Nucleus® Nexa™ sound processors are splash-proof, dust-proof and water resistant, the Aqua+ silicone sleeve provides added protection in salt-water and rushing water,  keeping your child’s sound processor water-safe while helping them to hear when in the water.    Here are three benefits of the Aqua+ for your child to enjoy the water while protecting … Continued

Learn about strategies for navigating listening fatigue

Learn about strategies for navigating listening fatigue

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Feeling tired and stressed from listening is real. You must focus harder than your hearing peers just to hear and communicate. Listening fatigue is commonly reported by recipients. It happens when the brain gets tired from focusing on listening, especially in difficult situations such as noisy places, group conversations, or virtual meetings. Beyond tiredness, it … Continued

Little girl and woman read a book in bed next to a bedside lamp

How to build your child’s language skills with simple everyday tasks

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Today, we’re going to focus on auditory/verbal strategies and how you can use everyday routines to boost your child’s listening and talking skills. Some routines that may be part of your day include:  Washing clothes Checking the mailbox Watering the garden Washing the dishes Putting away clothes Putting away toys Cleaning the floors Cooking a … Continued

FAQs for being active with your cochlear implant

FAQs for being active with your cochlear implant

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Being active is important for your health, your mind and it’s also key to staying positive. Not sure how to get started or looking for tips for trying out something new? Here are some common FAQs to help. Can I get my sound processor wet? Your Cochlear™ Nucleus® NexaTM Sound Processor is splash-proof and dust-proof with … Continued