Experiences with my daughter.

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2kids1hoh said:
This is very good to know. With one (or even two), how well do you hear in a crowded room? And this will sound like a very dumb question, but if someone was on the 2nd floor of the house and you were in your basement, would you hear them yell for you? I am sorry if this is a very stupid question. Can you tell where the sound is coming from and would you hear something that far away. A person with normal hearing should hear that, but some don't anyway. Example, if I call my husband and say "come kill this bug", I think he pretends to not hear me!

Thanks!
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Ask away...always glad to help...there are no dumb questions when it comes to understanding CI issues.

I do pretty well in a crowded room (better said when everybody is gabbing). I do have to focus more but not like my HA days where I would get exhausted after a 1/2 hr of it. In fact, I probably could listen all day in that kind of environment with my CI. This is not so much a "problem" from a CI standpoint as it is from a brain standpoint. What I mean is that some people make better sense of "noisy" environments and can hear more than others who cannot. A CI can help but it all comes down to the ability of the person using the CI. The audiologist couldn't understand how I did so well in a "noisy" sound sentence test to the point it was nearly equal to a quiet sentence test. I told her I'm not sure myself except that I do patterns superbly and sentences are nothing but patterns. Having another CI (being bilateral) would help with this situation for sure. For me, it isn't really an issue as long as one remembers the better side... :D

To answer you other question, I can hear up/down floors from another person on a different floor. They don't have to "yell" either. It just depends on the ambeit noise level at the time. If it is quiet, they just have to say it normally or a little louder (project their voice a little) and I got the message. If there is some noise in the background (like the kids talking or whatever), then the person has to talk louder and/or I have to get closer. Nothing different than normal hearing people. This has been one of the nicest aspect for me using a CI and being able to do that.

One other thing, being bilateral gives some benefit "locating" sounds but nothing like normal hearing. I have been a "one ear bandit" forever (never used my left ear for hearing) that I have long learned to locate most sounds by logic instead. So, that doesn't tempt me in considering a second CI. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph neither does listening in a crowded or noisy environment as I can handle that on one CI as well.

So, it really comes down preference more than anything else.

I do want to say I believe the seriously visually impaired folks are most justified in getting two CIs. Everybody else it is a "luxury" in my opinion.
 
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sr171soars said:
.........I do want to say I believe the seriously visually impaired folks are most justified in getting two CIs. Everybody else it is a "luxury" in my opinion.
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Obviously. But "luxuary" depends on the system.
In Norway it is standard to offer all deaf children bi-lateral CI, so economics is not a decisive factor. But before this was commen, Norway offered bi-lateral CI to children that became deaf due to menigitis, because ossification of the cochlea will prevent a second CI later (with current technology). Also children with CP were offered 2 CI's.
 
Siblings - Attention

Having a brother and sister really helps Lotte in her development. All the (waking) time she will have children around her that are a rolemodel for speech.
But still, with a child that needs additional attention - due to a communication gap - the attention towards the other children is unintentionally reduced.
They are at an age that they understand how Lotte does need some priority and they handle it really well. So well, that it is not noticed....

That is, until it's obvious.
Yesterday, Lotte had one of her stubborn moods. Refusing to put on cloths that were chose by her mom. Discipline didn't help and with a mother that needs to address two other children that need breakfast and need to go to school, frustration grows rapidly (I was offshore, so I was no help...)
The atmosphere at the start of such a day is far from good, but as I said, the other two are handling it really well.

But they need more attention. Attention without Lotte around. Attention just to them.
So, we hire a babysitter for saturday that will take care of Lotte (they know each other from the kindergarten) and Jelle and Sanne will be treated to a nice afternoon in the cinem and restaurant.

And these kind of things will have to happen more often, because it is too easy to forget the help one gets from the others.

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It would be interesting to find out how the development of a child depends upon it's place in the family. A only-child with CI will have a different development compared to a child that has siblings. And even with brothers and sisters, the devbelopment od a deaf child will depend if the child is the oldest or youngest.
Would Lotte have developed if she had had a younger sibling... probably... because this sibling might have been at the same stage of speech development.

Anyway, we feel blessed with how it turned out; Lotte as the youngest with an older brother and sister....
She has no idea (yet) of how lucky she is!
 
It's really awsome to read your blog... Very beautiful family, you have... It's good to know that your 2 children help Lottie's development.
 
Cloggy said:
Obviously. But "luxuary" depends on the system.
In Norway it is standard to offer all deaf children bi-lateral CI, so economics is not a decisive factor. But before this was commen, Norway offered bi-lateral CI to children that became deaf due to menigitis, because ossification of the cochlea will prevent a second CI later (with current technology). Also children with CP were offered 2 CI's.
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It is nice they offer the option for certain kids. Just curious though, what is the policy on adults? I take it that is not the norm to allow bilaterals.

I know here in US that most folks with one CI have to "fight" to get a second CI whether justified or not. This is mostly due to health insurance companies still trying to clarify what their policies (determine the economics of the whole deal) in respect to bilateral CIs. I do know more adults are persuing this idea and some are successfully obtaining the 2nd CI.

It will be interesting where this goes and I suspect at some point that bilaterals will become more common down the road.
 
sr171soars said:
It is nice they offer the option for certain kids. Just curious though, what is the policy on adults? I take it that is not the norm to allow bilaterals.

I know here in US that most folks with one CI have to "fight" to get a second CI whether justified or not. This is mostly due to health insurance companies still trying to clarify what their policies (determine the economics of the whole deal) in respect to bilateral CIs. I do know more adults are persuing this idea and some are successfully obtaining the 2nd CI.

It will be interesting where this goes and I suspect at some point that bilaterals will become more common down the road.
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With the waiting list still there, children are prioritised. But I think that it cannot be denied to adults. Just the waiting will be longer.
Plus, for adults, the auditory nerve might not be so receptable any more, but tests will be able to show that.
 
I suspect at some point that bilaterals will become more common down the road.
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I actually think that bilaterals might always be relatively rare. Very few people have such generous insurances that it will be covered. Also it's VERY expensive, and I have a feeling that more insurance companies will become more conservative as to covering them. I mean if a second CI was extremely benifical, yeah......but the benifits are very ambigious. (localization of sound and ease of hearing in noisy situtions)
 
deafdyke said:
I actually think that bilaterals might always be relatively rare. Very few people have such generous insurances that it will be covered. Also it's VERY expensive, and I have a feeling that more insurance companies will become more conservative as to covering them. I mean if a second CI was extremely benifical, yeah......but the benifits are very ambigious. (localization of sound and ease of hearing in noisy situtions)
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True, but again, it's a pitty that economical factors are decisive weather or not to have a second implant.
 
Beautiful Experience

Restroom conversation..
Yesterday, the kids and I went to the cinema. Lotte and I went to the bathroom before the film started. She went into the one next to me. Doors closed (both booths entirely closed as well), and we had a conversation!
Even though the accoustics were lousy, sound from far away and no eyecontact, she understood perfectly well what I was saying and would answer all my questions!
 
Mous said:
Restroom conversation..
Yesterday, the kids and I went to the cinema. Lotte and I went to the bathroom before the film started. She went into the one next to me. Doors closed (both booths entirely closed as well), and we had a conversation!
Even though the accoustics were lousy, sound from far away and no eyecontact, she understood perfectly well what I was saying and would answer all my questions!
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Fantastic experience! Lotte has come a long way hasn't she?

BTW you've changed your username!
 
R2D2 said:
Fantastic experience! Lotte has come a long way hasn't she?

BTW you've changed your username!
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No, look at the posts... That's my wife!! LOL

You're right, she has come a long way.
Her speech is getting better and better. Also interaction with "allhearing - no sign" children is going well.



:fart:
 
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to me it just makes sense to get 2 implants. i mean, audi's tell us ppl with HA's that 2 are better with one, and personally, it makes sense to apply that to CI's.

I think it's really unfortunate for ppl in the States to have to fight for something they need. In Canada i know it's not like that.
 
"The ear isn't working"

Today one of those huge moments.
In the beginning of Lotte's CI journey, Lotte never noticed that the CI was not working or if the coil had dropped off. She probably just went on with what she was doing, not being bothered by the lack of sound.
About 1 to 2 months ago, she started indicating that her CI was off. That is, she would come to us when she couldn't put it on herself.

Today however was the first time that the told us that the CI didn't work.
Lotte said to her mom "The ear doesn't work"
whereupon my wife said: "Can you go upstairs and get new batteries?"
Lotte answers "OK" and get the batteries..

WOW, is so thrilling to see these kind of "breakthroughs...." !!
 
COOL!!! I bet you were all choked up werent ya!

We had a cool little thing happen today also. While coming back from the mall (replacing Lillys favorite stuffed animal. It got lost last week when we met up with greema and fragmenter. We were driveing home, I was listening to Lilly talking/singing in the back seat when I started understanding what she was saying. I told her to use a big voice so I could inderstand her. She was saying over and over again "I love Mommy, I love daddy"!!!! :hug:
 
WOW, wonderful.... You managed to stay focused on the road...

Lotte can hear clearly as well in the car. Once, driving, talking to my wife, she was quietly looking out of the window.
Until suddenly she repeated a part of the sentence...

It's amazing what those little ones can hear...
 
So nice to meet you, Mrs.Cloggy/Mous!

Wow, Lotte and Lilly are doing so well! Love hearing these andecotes! Keep them coming.

(and sorry Lilly wasn't able to get that pink bunny back...)
 
Oh, and so glad to see you back, Artoo! How was your trip/holiday?
 
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