Alarm clocks

An alarm clock can give your child the independence to take control of when they wake up. There are various alarm clocks available for deaf children and young people which contain at least one of these features to help wake them up:

• a strong vibrating pad that is placed under their pillow
• flashing lights to help wake up during dark mornings
• clear audible alerts for those with residual hearing.

Choosing a suitable alarm clock depends on how and where it will be used. If your child stays at home most nights, a mains-powered clock may be best as they usually provide the strongest vibration. However, if your child regularly stays with friends and family, a portable battery-powered or rechargeable clock may be more appropriate.

Some alarm clocks form part of an alerting system, so they can alert your child to the doorbell, smoke alarm or other noises while they are asleep. This can help young people to feel less anxious and sleep more easily.

Please note, some alarm clocks use cables for power and to connect vibrating pads, so make sure they are safely secured if being used around younger children.

Sleep trainers

For deaf children, it can be hard to know when it’s a suitable time to get up as they might not be woken up by the sounds of other family members’ morning routines. They may worry about missing out on things, especially in the summer months when it gets light earlier in the morning.

A sleep trainer can teach your child when it’s time to get up and when they should stay in bed. These work by using coloured lights to show when your child should be sleeping and when they should wake up.

Some smart lighting systems can be set up to change the colour of lightbulbs, so these can be used in a similar way as a sleep trainer to show your child when it’s time to go to sleep. Warmer colours, such as red and orange, have been known to help prepare children for a good night’s sleep.