Notices
Adaptive Cycling: Handcycles, Amputee Adaptation, Visual Impairment, and Other Needs Have a need for adaptive equipment to ride to compensate for a disability or loss of limb or function? This area is for discussion among those of us in the cycling world that are coming back from traumatic circumstances and tell the world, "No, you are not going to beat me down!"

Cochlear Implants

Old 05-19-18, 09:47 AM
  #1  
techie
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Halifax, NS
Posts: 38

Bikes: Nishiki Rally from the 80's and a 2010 Diamondback Insight 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Cochlear Implants

First off, I searched and have read a couple of inspiring threads about deaf cyclists. My wife and I are not deaf...and no deaf family members even far extended but for some reason we produce deaf children. My 5 year old son and 3 month old daughter are profoundly deaf.

my son has cochlear implants and I'm wondering if any fellow cyclists use them while riding. I feel like it would be very uncomfortable under the helmet but I feel it would be beneficial if he could hear while riding.
techie is offline  
Old 06-04-18, 08:37 AM
  #2  
Skipjacks
Senior Member
 
Skipjacks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Mid Atlantic / USA
Posts: 2,115

Bikes: 2017 Specialized Crosstrail / 2013 Trek Crossrip Elite

Mentioned: 43 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1002 Post(s)
Liked 237 Times in 155 Posts
I assume you're talking about the part that attaches to the head, not the part that goes around the ear.

https://www.earsurgery.org/wp-content...ant-image.jpeg

For a kid's helmet, traveling at kid speeds in the driveway, You might carve a notch out of the inside the inside of the helmet so the implant sits in a little hole in the helmet. Doesn't have to be a full hole all the way through the helmet shell, just deep enough to let the foam of the helmet sit around the implant. That would weaken the helmet, but it's got to be better that riding without one.

And I'd only do that for a kid's helmet where the big danger is falling off at 8mph and needing something to stop their skull from smacking pavement. I wouldn't suggest that for an adult traveling on the road where there could be sliding and smacking secondary objects like a curb or car hood or anything like that.

Disclaimer....I'm not a helmet safety engineer. I'm making an assumption that a weakened helmet is better than no helmet for a situation where a kid is likely to fall off at relatively slow speeds and bonk his head on the pavement. Any helmet seems better than no helmet there. Especially if it's a larger helmet like kids tend to wear anyway that are thicker than an adult helmet relative to the size of the kid's smaller head.

As the kids get bigger your helmet options expand dramatically and you might be able to find one that just fits naturally. As you know, adult helmets can be found fairly small that sit much further up on the head, where kids helmet tend to drop down lower. You might also find one where that part of the helmet isn't a pressure point on the skull.
Skipjacks is offline  
Old 06-04-18, 10:51 AM
  #3  
Aubergine 
Bad example
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Seattle and Reims
Posts: 2,925
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 775 Post(s)
Liked 25 Times in 21 Posts
I have a CI but I don’t wear it when riding, because it won’t fit under the helmet. As Skipjacks says, you would need to carve out the helmet to avoid interference. I have never found a helmet that would fit above the CI, for what it’s worth.
__________________
Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
Aubergine is offline  
Old 06-22-18, 04:49 AM
  #4  
sembupp
Junior Member
 
sembupp's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Amsterdam
Posts: 5

Bikes: WWII Wehrmacht M30

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Hearing aids are ALWAYS preferable to a CI.

If you can derive benefit from a HA, that’s the way to go.

I will say that the criteria regarding severity of loss is less than what it used to be, I believe you can actually have a moderate HL in lower frequencies, but if there is little to no benefit from wearing a hearing aid, then a CI might be an option
sembupp is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
mrblue
Road Cycling
54
08-03-17 01:22 PM
jefnvk
Advocacy & Safety
45
06-21-16 11:13 AM
ganchan
General Cycling Discussion
13
10-19-15 12:59 PM
jhglaw
Advocacy & Safety
17
01-01-14 12:05 AM
zeppinger
Advocacy & Safety
15
07-28-10 10:06 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.