Alarm clocks

Alarm clocks can empower children and young people to take control of their mornings, offering them greater independence in managing their own routines.

Features of alarm clocks

There are various alarm clocks available for deaf children and young people which have at least one of the following features to help wake them up:

• a strong vibrating pad that can be placed under their pillow
• flashing lights to help them wake up during dark mornings
• loud audible alarm for those with residual hearing

When choosing a suitable alarm clock, think about how and where it will be used. Mains-powered clocks are recommended for home use as they usually provide the strongest vibrations. However, for overnight stays or travel, portable battery-powered or rechargeable alarm clocks may be more suitable.

Some alarm clocks form part of alerting systems designed to notify deaf people of important sounds like the doorbell, smoke alarm or other household noises. This reassures young people that they won't miss important alerts while sleeping.

Safety note: Some alarm clocks use cables for power and to connect vibrating pillow pads, so make sure they are safely secured if used around younger children.

Sleep trainer clocks

Sleep trainer clocks use coloured lights to help deaf babies and toddlers understand when it’s time to sleep and when it’s appropriate to get out of bed. An example of a sleep trainer is the Groclock by Tommee Tippee.

Vibrating watches

Vibrating watches are available, but the vibrations are not usually strong enough to wake up a deaf person. Instead, they can be used for setting subtle reminders, such as for taking medication or staying on track with other daily tasks.

Where to get alarm clocks

You can buy alarm clocks online from many different retailers, including those below.

• Connevans
• Health and Care
• Sarabec

You may qualify for support to get an alarm clock. Check out how to get assistive technology for more information.