Deaf infants getting cochlear implants younger than ever

[Jiro]

I am actually a light sleeper I think but the vibrating bed doesn't seem to do much to wake me. On the otherhand I have to tell people that if they attempt to wake me........touch my feet. I come up swinging,,,,,for real. Not sure why. I think it is a deaf thing, dunno. One of my fears after losing my hearing has been not waking up if someone breaks in. I guess I sleep on edge.

hmm... what kind of vibrating clock do you have? Is the vibrator thing the circular shape where you put it under the bed?

 

[Jiro]

You said that yourself that "too early to tell" but in their society thinking that babies recevie CI at the earliest age those babies would do fine in the future. I would love to tell them " get real!"

ah then I guess we'll find out later on, eh? but yea I have a serious concern about infants getting implanted at that early age

 

[Lighthouse77]

it's not mainly the issue whether or not we have enough sleep but some people are just born a heavy sleeper. or it can be a clinical condition that causes this.

I'm a heavy sleeper too. Always has been like this since little.

if I understand correctly, people with clinical disorder have a hard time getting to that deep sleep pattern (or get into it at the wrong time) BUT that's what I understand, but it doesn't mean I'm right.

people who can't wake up to alarm is more likely in their deep sleep at the time.

 

[Jiro]

if I understand correctly, people with clinical disorder have a hard time getting to that deep sleep pattern (or get into it at the wrong time) BUT that's what I understand, but it doesn't mean I'm right.

people who can't wake up to alarm is more likely in their deep sleep at the time.

yes and no. hard to tell until you get a sleep study done.

 

[TXgolfer]

hmm... what kind of vibrating clock do you have? Is the vibrator thing the circular shape where you put it under the bed?

Yes it was round and went under the matt. I returned it after a week. Plus it's more fun to watch lady guests jump out of bed when those lights kick on.

 

[Jiro]

Yes it was round and went under the matt. I returned it after a week. Plus it's more fun to watch lady guests jump out of bed when those lights kick on.

ah - for some people, placing the device under the mattress doesn't work well so you should place it on top of the mattress but underneath the bed cover. That will rock your head thru your pillow

 

[Lighthouse77]

Yes it was round and went under the matt. I returned it after a week. Plus it's more fun to watch lady guests jump out of bed when those lights kick on.

I have one of those. Sonic Alert alarm.

 

[Tousi]

Re: "child's choice" and "hearing aids don't need surgery", y'all do know the rationale for CIing in the very young AND that CI is for when one is beyond the help of a hearing aid, don't you?

 

[KristinaB]

hmm... what kind of vibrating clock do you have? Is the vibrator thing the circular shape where you put it under the bed?

I am wanting to get a vibrating clock, but finances keep me from it. I took the advice of someone and rigged a light into a timer, but that didn't work either. Most beds are too soft for me and I always have a sheet of half inch or three quarter inch plywood under the mattress. Well, the board slide to the head of the bed and stop the timer from working so in that regard I am SOL. (there's not another outlet available and the timer can't go into a power strip.) I am such a deep sleeper, that I was advised that if I got a vibrating alarm, then to put the little vibrating disk under my pillow and not the mattress.

 

[TXgolfer]

Re: "child's choice" and "hearing aids don't need surgery", y'all do know the rationale for CIing in the very young AND that CI is for when one is beyond the help of a hearing aid, don't you?

The rationale has been stated by others throughout the thread. To me it doesn't matter. The risks are too great for someone to make for another.

 

[Tousi]

Yes it was round and went under the matt. I returned it after a week. Plus it's more fun to watch lady guests jump out of bed when those lights kick on.

Rig an orbital sander to it!

 

[Tousi]

The rationale has been stated by others throughout the thread. To me it doesn't matter. The risks are too great for someone to make for another.

Okay but please don't say "use a hearing aid" when one's beyond it's help.

 

[TXgolfer]

Okay but please don't say "use a hearing aid" when one's beyond it's help.

I didn't. It was responding to the quote about someone chosing CI over HA. It was quoted in my post.

 

[Lighthouse77]

Just because a child/adult has a CI it does not mean that they are successful

or use good oral speech doesn't equal success and I'm the proof for it. ASL can be rich in languages as spoken English. It's just too bad that some poeple don't see that. You can be rich in ASL or be rich in spoken english. But if you are deaf, it is alot harder to be rich in spoken english.

 

[Jiro]

I am wanting to get a vibrating clock, but finances keep me from it. I took the advice of someone and rigged a light into a timer, but that didn't work either. Most beds are too soft for me and I always have a sheet of half inch or three quarter inch plywood under the mattress. Well, the board slide to the head of the bed and stop the timer from working so in that regard I am SOL. (there's not another outlet available and the timer can't go into a power strip.) I am such a deep sleeper, that I was advised that if I got a vibrating alarm, then to put the little vibrating disk under my pillow and not the mattress.

Sonc Alert clock + vibrator are expensive yes but there's a traveler version which works pretty well. I have it too when I go traveling.

Sonic Boom Analog Vibrating Alarm Travel Clock with Case (SBP100) : SBP100 - Buy.com

 

[TXgolfer]

I am wanting to get a vibrating clock, but finances keep me from it. I took the advice of someone and rigged a light into a timer, but that didn't work either. Most beds are too soft for me and I always have a sheet of half inch or three quarter inch plywood under the mattress. Well, the board slide to the head of the bed and stop the timer from working so in that regard I am SOL. (there's not another outlet available and the timer can't go into a power strip.) I am such a deep sleeper, that I was advised that if I got a vibrating alarm, then to put the little vibrating disk under my pillow and not the mattress.

Try using a brighter bulb. Almost impossible to sleep thru 100 watts after complete darkness. For people that wake at 10 am in a room with windows it won't work as well. Or get an ext cord.

 

[TXgolfer]

What are the Risks of Cochlear Implants?
General Anesthesia Risks
General anesthesia is drug-induced sleep. The drugs, such as anesthetic gases and injected drugs, may affect people differently. For most people, the risk of general anesthesia is very low. However, for some people with certain medical conditions, it is more risky.
[back to top]

Risks from the Surgical Implant Procedure
Injury to the facial nerve --this nerve goes through the middle ear to give movement to the muscles of the face. It lies close to where the surgeon needs to place the implant, and thus it can be injured during the surgery. An injury can cause a temporary or permanent weakening or full paralysis on the same side of the face as the implant.
Meningitis --this is an infection of the lining of the surface of the brain. People who have abnormally formed inner ear structures appear to be at greater risk of this rare, but serious complication. For more information on the risk of meningitis in cochlear recipients, see the nearby Useful Links.
Cerebrospinal fluid leakage --the brain is surrounded by fluid that may leak from a hole created in the inner ear or elsewhere from a hole in the covering of the brain as a result of the surgical procedure.
Perilymph fluid leak --the inner ear or cochlea contains fluid. This fluid can leak through the hole that was created to place the implant.
Infection of the skin wound.
Blood or fluid collection at the site of surgery.
Attacks of dizziness or vertigo.
Tinnitus, which is a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear.
Taste disturbances --the nerve that gives taste sensation to the tongue also goes through the middle ear and might be injured during the surgery.
Numbness around the ear.
Reparative granuloma --this is the result of localized inflammation that can occur if the body rejects the implant.
There may be other unforeseen complications that could occur with long term implantation that we cannot now predict.
[back to top]

Other Risks Associated with the Use of Cochlear Implants
People with a cochlear implant:
May hear sounds differently. Sound impressions from an implant differ from normal hearing, according to people who could hear before they became deaf. At first, users describe the sound as "mechanical", "technical", or "synthetic". This perception changes over time, and most users do not notice this artificial sound quality after a few weeks of cochlear implant use.
May lose residual hearing. The implant may destroy any remaining hearing in the implanted ear.
May have unknown and uncertain effects. The cochlear implant stimulates the nerves directly with electrical currents. Although this stimulation appears to be safe, the long term effect of these electrical currents on the nerves is unknown.
May not hear as well as others who have had successful outcomes with their implants.
May not be able to understand language well. There is no test a person can take before surgery that will predict how well he or she will understand language after surgery.
May have to have it removed temporarily or permanently if an infection develops after the implant surgery. However, this is a rare complication.
May have their implant fail. In this situation, a person with an implant would need to have additional surgery to resolve this problem and would be exposed to the risks of surgery again.
May not be able to upgrade their implant when new external components become available. Implanted parts are usually compatible with improved external parts. That way, as advances in technology develop, one can upgrade his or her implant by changing only its external parts. In some cases, though, this won't work and the implant will need changing.
May not be able to have some medical examinations and treatments. These treatments include:
MRI imaging. MRI is becoming a more routine diagnostic method for early detection of medical problems. Even being close to an MRI imaging unit will be dangerous because it may dislodge the implant or demagnetize its internal magnet. FDA has approved some implants, however, for some types of MRI studies done under controlled conditions.
neurostimulation.
electrical surgery.
electroconvulsive therapy.
ionic radiation therapy.
Will depend on batteries for hearing. For some devices new or recharged batteries are needed every day.
May damage their implant. Contact sports, automobile accidents, slips and falls, or other impacts near the ear can damage the implant. This may mean needing a new implant and more surgery. It is unknown whether a new implant would work as well as the old one.
May find them expensive. Replacing damaged or lost parts may be expensive.
Will have to use it for the rest of life. During a person's lifetime, the manufacturer of the cochlear implant could go out of business. Whether a person will be able to get replacement parts or other customer service in the future is uncertain.
May have lifestyle changes because their implant will interact with the electronic environment. An implant may
set off theft detection systems
set off metal detectors or other security systems
be affected by cellular phone users or other radio transmitters
have to be turned off during take offs and landings in aircraft
interact in unpredictable ways with other computer systems
Will have to be careful of static electricity. Static electricity may temporarily or permanently damage a cochlear implant. It may be good practice to remove the processor and headset before contact with static generating materials such as children's plastic play equipment, TV screens, computer monitors, or synthetic fabric. For more details regarding how to deal with static electricity, contact the manufacturer or implant center.
Have less ability to hear both soft sounds and loud sounds without changing the sensitivity of the implant. The sensitivity of normal hearing is adjusted continuously by the brain, but the design of cochlear implants requires that a person manually change sensitivity setting of the device as the sound environment changes.
May develop irritation where the external part rubs on the skin and have to remove it for a while.
Can't let the external parts get wet. Damage from water may be expensive to repair and the person may be without hearing until the implant is repaired. Thus, the person will need to remove the external parts of the device when bathing, showering, swimming, or participating in water sports.
May hear strange sounds caused by its interaction with magnetic fields, like those near airport passenger screening machines.

-Useful Links
FDA Public Health Notification: Importance of Vaccination in Cochlear Implant Recipients
WebMD: Anesthesia - Risks and Complications

All these risks???? When ASL has no risks. To some it's worth the risk. But again I say that should be their choice. It shouldn't be forced on children.
--

 

[Lighthouse77]

or use good oral speech doesn't equal success and I'm the proof for it. ASL can be rich in languages as spoken English. It's just too bad that some poeple don't see that. You can be rich in ASL or be rich in spoken english. But if you are deaf, it is alot harder to be rich in spoken english.

''


here's a video for hearing parents to think about: i711.com - Relay & Beyond

 

[KristinaB]

Try using a brighter bulb. Almost impossible to sleep thru 100 watts after complete darkness. For people that wake at 10 am in a room with windows it won't work as well.

Problem was the board slid up the bed, stopped the timer and the light never came on. When it worked the first time, it worked, but I have to reset the timer daily and it was too much of a hassle.

 

[Frisky Feline]

ah then I guess we'll find out later on, eh? but yea I have a serious concern about infants getting implanted at that early age

Me too. I get uneasy feeling about it and acceptable issue.