Well the season for flying down a snow-covered hill on a pair of boards (or a single board depending on your preference) is finally here. Unfortunately, helmets are not designed to work for every type of activity, for example, bike helmets will not protect you for skiing as well as a ski helmet would. So with the snow comes the necessity of a whole new type of helmet. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has some great material about the all the different considerations for helmet use in the snow. And the Consumer Product Safety Commission has a table with all the activities you might want a helmet for and what the standards are for each activity.
They’ve clearly got all the information you could want for helmet safety in general, but those of us with hearing implants and external processors have a whole other set of things to think about when picking the right helmet. Due to the nature of Baha Systems versus Nucleus Systems, there are very different things to think about. So I’ll address each individually.
Baha System
Shopping for a helmet to work with your sound processor can be easy with a few, simple tips. Find a store with a wide selection of ski/snowboard helmets so you can try on all of them to be completely sure you’ve made the right choice. Here are a couple things to look for:
- A helmet that can slide on without dislodging your external Sound Processor
- A helmet with an outer shell and straps that don’t touch the sound processor, which can cause the sound processor to produce feedback.
Few more things to think about:
- There is also the option to ski without your processor. I understand, it’s less desirable but it’s certainly more desirable to go without sound, temporarily, than to go without a helmet.
- Please, please, please do not give in to the desire to alter your helmet. Sure it would be perfect to have a little nook in your helmet for your processor to fit in, but you can compromise the effectiveness of your helmet by doing so.
- Use a safety line to help keep your Baha Sound Processor from disconnecting and falling to the ground.
Watch this video for more guidance on participating in sports with a Baha Sound Processor.
Nucleus System
Purchasing the right helmet is important to keep internal implant and external components safe. Find a store with a wide selection of ski/snowboard helmets so you can try on all of them to be completely sure you’ve made the right choice. Here are a few things to consider to make finding the right helmet easier:
- Try using a “thin sweatband” or “skull cap” to hold your sound processor in place underneath the helmet
- If you are using rechargeable batteries, try to ensure the battery portion is not pressing hard directly against the skin. The nature of all rechargeable batteries makes them warm and may cause discomfort if they are tightly pressed against skin for extended periods of time.
- Be patient when you’re trying on helmets, it might take many trials but you’re likely to find one that works.
Visit the Cochlear Community to discuss strategies for helmets with fellow recipients.
