FM Systems.. Yay or Nay?

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Mandamay28

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Just wondering if anyone can share their FM System experiences with me. I have a 2 year old son we are considering getting the system for. Right now he is in day care 3 times a week for 2 hrs per day and will be starting school in Aug. 2 days a week, 5 hrs per day. He also goes to story time once a week and music once a week, both are 1 hr.
A few questions I have:
-Does an FM take away all other sound so that ALL you hear is the voice in the mic.?
-Should they be used in structured only events?
-Are they beneficial if used in places like playdates at a farm, at the park, places where safty is a concern. ( I don't want to remove ALL other environmental sounds though. )

TIA for your comments. Trying to do what's best for my little one!

Amanda
 
I am Deaf - and have always hated the FM's. I kept breaking them.
I suggest you to observe for that behavior because looking back, I don't even remember the sounds or anything. Perhaps because I figured out how to mute the FM itself without visibly breaking them.
 
posts from hell said:
I am Deaf - and have always hated the FM's. I kept breaking them.
I suggest you to observe for that behavior because looking back, I don't even remember the sounds or anything. Perhaps because I figured out how to mute the FM itself without visibly breaking them.
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LOL. FM were a big joke.

I've heard that some people liked FM, so guess it's individual.
 
May I ask, what does FM do? I can't remember. it was like over 30 yrs ago maybe i didnt have one in my time? :hmm:
 
Frisky Feline said:
May I ask, what does FM do? I can't remember. it was like over 30 yrs ago maybe i didnt have one in my time? :hmm:
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The sound from a source, like a microphone, TV or something, goes straight to your HA, and other surrounding sounds are blocked.

For people like me who never cared much about sound, this is a bad idea, because I had to spend time with something extremely boring to make some grown ups happy.
 
flip said:
The source of sound, like a microphone, TV or something, goes straight to your HA, and other surrounding sounds are blocked.

For people like me who never cared much about sound, this is a bad idea, because I had to spend time with something extremely boring to make some grown ups happy.
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Very true. Making sure the big people were happy was a very exhausting task.
 
flip said:
The source of sound, like a microphone, TV or something, goes straight to your HA, and other surrounding sounds are blocked.

For people like me who never cared much about sound, this is a bad idea, because I had to spend time with something extremely boring to make some grown ups happy.
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I think so. like teacher has microphone on her or his shirt? what if teacher went to bathroom so we kids can hear it correct? I remember that vague. :hmm:
 
Wow... thanks! These are angles I had not thought about. My little one is only 2 so I try to do what I think is best for him but I really have no clue. His hearing range AIDED is around 25-30 dbs. We are all learning ASL but would like him to speak as well... then again... thats US not HIM. Thanks for making me think about it from his point of view!
 
I had (actually still have) a similar set-up for the TV. It's helpful when I'm watching by myself, because the dialogue does come straight to my ears. But it's annoying when I'm watching with my husband, because we chat to each other during TV shows and I have to keep turning the T-switch on my hearing aids on and off. When it's on I can hear the TV very well, but not him.

For a lecture situation, an FM system is helpful, because you don't need the extra sounds of people around you anyway. It would be good to just hear the teacher or lecturer's voice. So for your son's story hour and music time, you might want to try it. For play time, maybe not, because he needs more general input from everything else around him.
 
Mandamay28 said:
Wow... thanks! These are angles I had not thought about. My little one is only 2 so I try to do what I think is best for him but I really have no clue. His hearing range AIDED is around 25-30 dbs. We are all learning ASL but would like him to speak as well... then again... thats US not HIM. Thanks for making me think about it from his point of view!
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Thank you.
 
I had one in my earlier school years, up until high school. I hated the thing. I had to wear it under orders from my parents. I hated it because I couldn't hear other sounds, like if a classmate was talking to me. It made me lip-read instead. And it was huge fodder for the kids picking on me. For home, maybe not a bad idea, though.
 
I remember FMs in first grade some 30 years ago. The whole class hated them cuz it made our ears ring and when I used it at home, I could hear sounds but I wasn't able to understand speech so they weren't very effective for me.
 
I had to wear them from when I was about 1 or two.
Never thought it was beneficial to me.

In second grade, my teacher did not make us wear it anymore. Result was: my classmates and I were overjoyed. :)

If you were going to try FM, I'm afraid it's best utilized in classroom or a school like setting.

Kudos to you and your family for learing ASL with your son. :)
 
Recently, I bought a FM system from Harris Communications. It was supposed to be a good one. Unfortunately, it was useless and I had to return it. If you buy a FM system, be sure you can return it. It was expensive.
 
I am Deaf....grew up orally and had FM systems. I would purposely break them or not put them on the charger for overnight at the end of the school day so I wouldnt have to be forced to use them at school. They didnt do much for me.
 
My little one is only 2 so I try to do what I think is best for him but I really have no clue. His hearing range AIDED is around 25-30 dbs. We are all learning ASL but would like him to speak as well... then again... thats US not HIM
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I agree with everyone else.
Right now an FM is not vital. He's now more into incidental learning. An FM may not even be needed in the classroom. I think an FM set up is precipatated on the assumption that a dhh kid just needs to hear one person, whether that be a teacher or whatever. But the thing is.......in formal learning situtions, you alos learn a lot from what the class says too.
It does seem like FMs are hit or miss. Some people like them others hate them.
Oh, and good for you for providing your kid with a full toolbox!!!! ASL and speech together ROCK!
 
will be starting school in Aug. 2 days a week, 5 hrs per day
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Oh, Amanda, what type of placement will he be in? Are you in touch with your state's School for the Deaf?
 
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