Advice please: son doesn't want to wear HAs

You're pretty lucky to be in an area where there are several options. Sequioa school for the deaf, pdsd, asdb.
 
deafdyke said:
Oh, and not in kindergarten either too.... But yeah, maybe it's time to look into more Deaf Ed, as well as checking hearing aids etc.....Is there any way you could go to a pediatric audi, like the ones at Phoinix Day School for the Deaf or the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind.
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Agreed that it is time to look into Deaf School Placement. And to pick the ASL back up and use it 24/7 not just with the child, but as a rule of thumb with the whole family. Like MM said, it takes work to create a bilingual atmosphere for a deaf child...but it s definately worth all the work it takes.
 
posts from hell said:
You're pretty lucky to be in an area where there are several options. Sequioa school for the deaf, pdsd, asdb.
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Yes, there are options here in greater Phoenix. But, sorting it out & making it work for the whole family is a challenge: work schedules, commutes, before & after school care, the usual.

I really wish there was a d/hh magnet school in Tempe; part of me can't believe there isn't.

I think Sequioa's gone through a change of administration. I was never able to get a tour scheduled last year. By any chance does someone on AD have any connection to anyone who attends/teaches there?
 
Rivenok, I took a look at your son's audiogram. I'm just curious, does his HAs have volume control?

It's my understanding that most HA manufacturers assert that HAs don't need VC, esp. ones for less than severe to profound losses. So I wouldn't be surprised if your son didn't have VC, esp. on his right HA.

But, I"m skeptical about that. People with normal hearing can choose not to focus on the sounds around them. People with hearing aids can't -- there's no two-way neural pathway between the brain and the hearing aids. I know that I definitely need to have VC, and I would think that all people, regardless of their degree of hearing loss would benefit from having the option of VC on their HAs.

I noticed that the audiologist didn't jot down your son's MCL and UCL levels. They may have been on another sheet, but I've been to quite a few audis and they usually have that number on the same page that has the graph. Those numbers are usually helpful in selecting the compression settings to help your son find his HAs comfortable despite any recruitment issues he may (probably) have.

(MCL stands for most comfortable level and UCL stands for upper comfort level.)
 
Jazzberry said:
Rivenok, I took a look at your son's audiogram. I'm just curious, does his HAs have volume control?

It's my understanding that most HA manufacturers assert that HAs don't need VC, esp. ones for less than severe to profound losses. So I wouldn't be surprised if your son didn't have VC, esp. on his right HA.

But, I"m skeptical about that. People with normal hearing can choose not to focus on the sounds around them. People with hearing aids can't -- there's no two-way neural pathway between the brain and the hearing aids. I know that I definitely need to have VC, and I would think that all people, regardless of their degree of hearing loss would benefit from having the option of VC on their HAs.

I noticed that the audiologist didn't jot down your son's MCL and UCL levels. They may have been on another sheet, but I've been to quite a few audis and they usually have that number on the same page that has the graph. Those numbers are usually helpful in selecting the compression settings to help your son find his HAs comfortable despite any recruitment issues he may (probably) have.

(MCL stands for most comfortable level and UCL stands for upper comfort level.)
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your son wearing HA kind of his hearing aid? what his said kind of MCL and & UCL level1 how much audis, depend on comfortable reason HA
 
No volume control or if.there is.its.not enabled.
Oticon tegos

sorry this is brief...on phone trying to type. Not so good!

I will look in his binder and see if mcl and ucl are noted somewhere else

:ty:
 
Jazzberry said:
Rivenok, I took a look at your son's audiogram. I'm just curious, does his HAs have volume control?

It's my understanding that most HA manufacturers assert that HAs don't need VC, esp. ones for less than severe to profound losses. So I wouldn't be surprised if your son didn't have VC, esp. on his right HA.
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Some hearing aids don't have volume control???? That is news to me.
 
I first started wearing HA's when I was 4 or 5 years old. I went through the same thing about not wanting to wear them. It was because they hurt and left blisters in my ear canal.

They really hurt bad - I still remember being forced to wear them and screaming about it. Maybe mineral oil or something would help.

I am reading a warning about using mineral oil on skin - so don't take that as a recommendation - but anything to help with the ear moulds from hurting the ear canal would help. If his ear canal is reddish that should indicate the mould is rubbing blisters in there.
 
rivenoak said:
Yes, there are options here in greater Phoenix. But, sorting it out & making it work for the whole family is a challenge: work schedules, commutes, before & after school care, the usual.

I really wish there was a d/hh magnet school in Tempe; part of me can't believe there isn't.

?
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On the other hand, it might be a really good choice. I do remember a regular poster from here (who has a deaf daughter) saying that mainstream sped in Arizona isn't very good. I know that the rule of thumb usually is, if sped is bad, then the deaf schools tend to be good. And the thing is, the Deaf Schools/programs tend to be the best in the early grades. I agree with you.... I am amazed that there isn't a dhh magnet or regional dhh program in Tempe. I mean Tempe IS a city
 
rivenoak said:
.

He has seen the audis at ASDB and wasn't particularly cooperative with them. Same with the previous district audi. He will really only cooperate with his current audi. I don't feel that anything's lacking on her end. I do have a list of things to go over with her for the next appointment and she's very good at explaining and is responsive to requests.

I have a message in for the TOD and hopefully we can catch up and talk.
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Oh just thought that it might be a good idea for you guys to see an audi who is experianced with pediatric dhh issues. I go all the way out to Clarke School for the Deaf, in Noho for that.
 
Buffalo said:
I just remembered. I wore two hearing aids (body type) when I was little. Later on, they decided on just one. I remembered they decided on my right ear for few years. That ear is my worst one. Yeah I am more sensitive to sounds in that ear but comprehension of words is much worse. They decided to switched to my left ear. Finally I can understand people better as the school was oral at that time. Yikes!

Now I use both hearing aids. The left one for picking up words (along with lipreading) and the other one just to let me know I am hearing something to my right. It also helps me with where the sounds are coming from.
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What year was this? I was only given one body type HA to wear in 1953.
 
@rivenoak, my new hearing aids has volume control and is better than my Oticon Gaia which doesn't have one since I thought they were crap LOL!!!!!
look at my signature and avvie for some info.
 
Buffalo said:
Some hearing aids don't have volume control???? That is news to me.
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My previous HAs didn't have volume control. My new ones do, but I don't tend to use it as they are digital and will automatically increase/decrease the volume depending on background noise levels. Very handy but can feel a bit weird as sounds zoom in and out depending on what's happening around me. For example if I'm outside and walking towards two people who are talking, the HAs (which are specially designed to amplify human voices) will increase the volume to pick up their voices and then turn down the volume once I've gone 10-15 yards or so past them. While the volume is high, the traffic will sound noisier, but then become quieter again.
 
For people who have volume control, at what age do you think you would have been able to manage it? I have no idea if little fingers would have a hard time "dialing in".
 
Steinhauer said:
They really hurt bad - I still remember being forced to wear them and screaming about it. Maybe mineral oil or something would help.
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We have OtoEase. Usually just need it when molds are new, but maybe we need to use more. Oto-Ease® Earpiece Lubricant - Bottle | Westone

I just thought of something. The part that goes into the ear canal on these ear molds is shorter than before. They might be touching him in a way that is painful. God, I feel awful. :(

I still have the previous molds, which were a decent fit, he just wanted a new color. I will try the old one on the left HA & see if he can tell me which one feels better to him.
 
rivenoak said:
I hope you don't think we are forcing him through pain. If anything, we are very lax, I hope. I don't want to be one of "those" parents. :(

Ok, I will admit, one time I physically restrained his hands so he couldn't pull them out at the audi's for one test. He has been very uncooperative about testing and we just needed this one last one for the school district. I'm ashamed of it. :cry:

He has a mixed loss.

He sometimes hears "well" without them. In some situations, a person might not know he is HOH. In many other situations, it is more evident that he is not Hearing.

I think I posted his audiogram on another thread; I don't have it at hand. As of late Spring 2011, when we finally got the range of tests done in one fell swoop, there was no decrease in hearing. Possibly a slight increase due to new tubes having been put in.

He has less loss on the right; this is the side he doesn't like to wear. However, if he's not wearing the left one due to an infection, he will wear the right one.

And eventually, if we wait him out long enough--over weeks--he will usually agree to wear both for the school day.

I don't want to be defensive and don't mean to be. I don't post much, so you don't have much background. I will try to fill in if necessary. I don't always know the right terminology, either, so I will try to learn that, too.

If he only wants to wear one, I'm ok with that. We can change the IEP if the school has a problem with it being his choice.

I wish he would try the FM to see if it helps him hear his teacher. Last year in preschool, one of his classmates had more of a broadcast FM system, but my son has the direct teacher to boot kind. We won't know if he can benefit from it unless he'll wear a boot.

His first language was ASL. He speaks English now. But, from other things I'm noticing, we need to revisit the use of ASL.

:ty:
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When I was kid, I really hated FM system. It gave me migraine and my ears were very sensitive to it. I stopped using it in middle school or so. Can't remember when but I do remember feeling a relief that I didn't have to use it anymore.

You'll also have to try to find out if one of the teachers is being mean to him regarding FM system. One of my teachers was trying to call on me because I was being disruptive or something but I didn't respond. So he got frustrated and yelled at me. The class went silent and he was raging on and on for a few minutes which felt quite long and then took off mic, slammed it on his table - Why do I have to wear this? You don't hear me!
 
rivenoak said:
For people who have volume control, at what age do you think you would have been able to manage it? I have no idea if little fingers would have a hard time "dialing in".
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LOL I was able to manage a volume control at a young age since I have a volume wheeler on my very old Siemens *they are about 15 years old*
 
Jiro said:
You'll also have to try to find out if one of the teachers is being mean to him regarding FM system. One of my teachers was trying to call on me because I was being disruptive or something but I didn't respond. So he got frustrated and yelled at me. The class went silent and he was raging on and on for a few minutes which felt quite long and then took off mic, slammed it on his table - Why do I have to wear this? You don't hear me!
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That's horrible.

He only has one teacher. She is very interested in using the FM system. The kids in class are very interested in seeing the FM system being used. He is excited about the idea and liked showing it around, but the reality of actually using it is something else right now.

One of teacher's concerns is that if she lowers voice/whispers, DS might not know that she is talking if he doesn't have the boots on or isn't looking at her.

Last night was Curriculum Night at school, got to meet the Reading Specialist, Music Teacher, and PE teacher. #1 thing when talking with them was something would come up about DS, I'd say that he's d/hh, and they would remark, "Oh, I noticed (those things) in his ears."

So, now the reading specialist knows that he must be tested by a familiar person (in the IEP), the music teacher knows that he voice might be pitched where it is because he is d/hh, and the PE teacher knows we can put EarGear on if there's a problem with his HAs staying on when he's active and that she can use the FM system, too, if need be.

(This is rhetorical, but: Do people really not know what hearing aids are for or what they look like? Or that kids can be d/hh?)

For people who have used FM, would it have been useful for things like PE when maybe playing a sport, the teacher is farther away to hear instructions/read lips?

Yes, yes, I know ASL is the way to go! :D But, in the interim...:ty:

Thank you everyone for sharing on this thread! Very useful to me!
 
I used an FM system alot everyday but yeah it's good for sports!
I have the Phonak Inspiro FM unit and it's always good for everyday use!
mine has peeling and scraches but it's still like new :D
 
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