FAQs
What does a cochlear implant sound like?
For people who do not use a cochlear implant it is very difficult to imagine what one would sound like. Adults who have lost their hearing and have gone on to use a cochlear implant report that, at first, the sounds are rather ‘metallic’ or ‘digital’. However, once they have had some practice listening with their implant they say it begins to sound more natural and much clearer. A very young child who has had little or no experience of sound may adjust quickly to the sound from an implant. To use an implant effectively a child needs to learn how to identify and interpret lots of different sounds.
For further information see the Rehabilitation section of FAQs.