Hearing Impairment

Hearing aids & cochlear implants

This clip shows young people describing the challenges of using a hearing aid or cochlear implant. They discuss the difference the electronic devices make to their hearing levels, and the effort of consistently using the devices and keeping them safe. Feelings of self-consciousness and perceptions of feeling different to peers are mentioned, with one speaker revealing that she did not use her hearing aid for some time for this reason. The young people identify times when it is difficult or impossible or to wear hearing aids or cochlear implants, such as when playing sport, when it rains or when they are at noisy dances or concerts. This clip is one of a series that shows six young Indigenous and non-Indigenous people talking about living with a hearing impairment.

These Speaking from Experience clips feature six young people discussing the impact that having a hearing impairment has had on their lives. It was produced in partnership with Australian Hearing and the Aboriginal Medical Service of Western Sydney.