1. Keeping the batteries in the fridge makes them last longer.

2. Pack a extra battery and cord just in case one stops working, in his/her back pack.

3. If a CI child has trouble hearing the teacher,  then this is where the CI mic comes in,  for this mic filters out the other sounds and allows the child to hear the teacher much better.  This would be a must for me,  so be sure the mic is also packed,  just in case the child needs it to hear things better. In the 12 years that I have had a CI, I have needed my mic for many things like going to the movies , parties, or being in a group of more then 3 people. That CI mic can do wonders. if people would use it.

4. Children are going to pick up more static inside the school and this does and will cause some problems for the child. A sweater will cause all kinds of little popping noises, and believe me they can drive you crazy,  so if a child is to wear a sweater, please let it be a button down the front so it can be removed,  or you can spray with static guard,  which only helps for a short period of time since sweaters picks up static. Silk, and knitted hats also have this problem.

5. Plastic slides,   I really when through the trouble to check these things out and found that if the child has clothes like sweaters, etc, that pick up static, then this will cause the child to pick up lots of static as he plays on the plastic playground equipment,  so please no sweaters, knit hats, silk, etc.

6. For small children with a CI, putting the CI in a zip lock bag can save a parent lots of repair bills because this will keep the CI from getting wet, from water, paint, etc. I have tried also and it will not hurt the CI.

7. Younger children should wear their processor in the back with their pouchbag. That way the child cannot get to the CI and cause damage.

8. Don't cut off the Close Captioning. Out of the 12 years that I have had the CI,  I have found  that watching TV with Close Captioning and listening at the same time has helped my speech. Many people who know me tell me all the time how much better that I say words that I could never say before.  You see,  hearing and seeing words helps you learn and understand better, and hearing different sounds of male and female voices is a great way to learn the different tones that each person has. So to me it really is very important for a CI person to hear all the sounds of people in order to understand speech and when this is accomplished,  then hearing on the phone will be easy. It is a great tool to learn the sounds of many letters and vowels, and helps speech in a great way.

9. If your child is going to school for the first time with a CI,  then the best things for a parent and teacher to do is to have the child stand up in class  and show off the CI and tell how it works. You will be amazed how children will react. They think it is a great tool and will want to know more about it and they will also learn to speak to the CI child in a tone that will be understood. Believe me this works and the CI child will not feel out of place.

10.Ask the teacher to place the CI child in the middle row of the class room , not the front which would be to close for the CI child to understand the teacher who would be too loud and the child would not be able to hear the response of the children in the back because they are too far away.  So if the child is center in the middle of the room , then all sounds are filtered  to where he can hear clearer in the back and front.