First Hearing Aid for my daughter

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smileysk8

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Hi, my 6 year old daughter was adopted from Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia) 7 months ago. She has a profound hearing loss in one ear and moderate/severe in the other ear. We are going to order her a hearing aid very soon (her first ever) and I am trying to find out more about pricing for the aid. The audie recommended us get either the Unitron Element 8 or the Phonak Naida. She said the Element 8 would cost $1,850 and the Nadia would cost $3,000 (for one aid). Our insurance does not cover the aids at all. I have heard from some people that the Naida should cost $2,200 and one person said they got 2 (w/ ear molds) for $3,700 total. Would you recommend us going to a different audie or what do you recommend? Anyone have one of these aids and know what you paid? Thanks for your help! God bless!
~Holly <><
 
$3,000 for the Naida?! You have got to be kidding me. My audiologist told me $1,895 for the Naida V, and that's just for 1. Unless, she includes all the gadgets with it, like the FM system and whatnot, then the $3000 price would be more reasonable. But for the hearing aid alone, that just doesn't sound right at all. Whoa.

I'm getting the Naida after I get back from vacation, and am looking forward to it. I've worn Phonak hearing aids all my life and we've always been happy with them. I don't know anything bout the Unitron hearing aid.

Here are the websites for the different hearing aids, if you want to look at them and compare.
Naida: Naída Phonak - Home
Element 8: Element 8 Moxi - Digital Hearing Aid - Technical Data
 
Hey there,

I am also going to be trying the Naida soon. I don't know much about the Element 8 but I looked at the site that cdmeggers posted and here are my observations...

It says "Clients with mild to severe hearing losses" Your daughter doesn't really fit in that category with a profound loss.

Looking at the fitting range of even the Power BTE (Element 8) it doesn't go far into the profound range. Only up to a 100db loss. Without knowing what your daughters hearing loss is specifically it is hard to say whether or not this aid could work.

That being said the Naida is made for severe-profound losses. They have other things like frequency transposition that help with speech discrimination/comprehension. Their fitting range is also a bit bigger. Personally, since she is so young I would want to go with whatever had the most to offer as far as speech is concerned. The younger years are invaluable in language development. I am saying this assuming you are going to raise her oral. You want to use whatever is the best technology available for speech discrimination at this time. Right now, that is the Naida.

Good luck and feel free to ask anymore questions! If you post your daughters audiogram it might be a bit easier to make suggestions!

-Jenny

Disclaimer: I am not an oralist by any means. I was raised with total communication, so I sign and speak. I use both equally now. I don't want anyone to get mad at me for bringing up language development and speech discrim as a priority in selecting aids.
 
I don't have the audiogram results yet. They did tell me a number for her moderate/severe ear and that is 65. I am VERY new to this and don't know exactly what all this means yet. I assume I will know more the more I talk to the audie. We are getting an aid for the moderate/severe ear. We are going to use a loaner aid for the profound ear as they don't think it will help any and don't want to buy one if it's not going to help. They said she should do very well with the moderate/severe ear aided. We use ASL with her and it's her first language (only language so far). She will be in school next year in the Deaf ed program in public school. They use total communication. With her aid she may do well talking and hearing speech but we plan to continue using ASL as well no matter how well she hears with the aid. Thanks for your responses!
 
Oh wow ur probably only one I know so fae in this part of forum that is going with that method (asl as main language usage in total communication deaf ed program and use hearing aid)
I thought I was ancient "old fashioned" for little while now for using sign and have total communication as my education growing up lol its nice to see other youngster in same thing I was in.
All the best of luck in world for you guys! :mrgreen:

Growing up I was same as her I had moderate of 50 in one ear and severe of 90 in another so I got one ear aided for most of my life in TC program it worked out great for me.
I have cochlear implant now because I went from 50 to 100 and other one went from 90 to 115
Only thing from what I know before is Oticon Sumo DM is great hearing aid for profound loss if you want to try aid the other ear, for moderate sorry I can't be a much of a help for that one because I had Phonak Pico Forte analog hearing aid I didn't like it at all, too much buzzing in with the sounds. And I didn't get to trial any other brand hearing aid when I had moderate loss all my life
You can try look around for programs that help pay for hearing aid for children, ask deaf school and special education district that work with IEP.
 
They said she should do very well with the moderate/severe ear aided. We use ASL with her and it's her first language (only language so far). She will be in school next year in the Deaf ed program in public school. They use total communication. With her aid she may do well talking and hearing speech but we plan to continue using ASL as well no matter how well she hears with the aid.
Click to expand...
OT but that's AWESOME!!!!!
Are you a member of the American Society for Deaf Children? You should join!
Do you have any access to the State School for the Deaf? They are a resource which is rather underutilized. If nothing else, you could have them evaluate her.
And Jennie B, with uneven losses (ie hoh in one ear but profound in the other) they usually just aid one ear. That's actually good.....less expense.
 
Oh and Holly, it might be a good idea to find another audi....sounds like this one is ripping you off!
 
I am glad to hear you use ASL with her! I promise you that she will be so thankful for that when she gets older.

I used to have a 60db loss in db my right ear and aided I could hear speech very well with both ears. Since then I have dropped to about a 115db loss in both ears though.

Just out of curiosity do they use ASL or SEE in the total communication program she will be starting? SkullChick what did they use with you, ASL or SEE? They used SEE with me, a bit frustrating for me when I later realised that no one else really used it and had to learn ASL...sorry this is a bit off topic

Good luck, and like I said feel free to ask us any questions! We have a pretty good knowledge base around here and we are all more than willing to share it!
 
deafdyke said:
OT but that's AWESOME!!!!!
Are you a member of the American Society for Deaf Children? You should join!
Do you have any access to the State School for the Deaf? They are a resource which is rather underutilized. If nothing else, you could have them evaluate her.
And Jennie B, with uneven losses (ie hoh in one ear but profound in the other) they usually just aid one ear. That's actually good.....less expense.
Click to expand...

I had an uneven loss, I was aided in both...I guess my loss was progressive and changed often though - could of had something to do with it!

I agree, check out a different audi!
 
We are going to use a loaner aid for the profound ear as they don't think it will help any and don't want to buy one if it's not going to help.
Click to expand...
Oh that's good. There's the possibilty that she might have some sound perception in her profound ear. It's always good to experiment since hearing losses are so indvidual with how they respond to aiding. Especially with the newer ones!
I know people who were kids in the 80's, who were so deaf that they didn't even have any response with those old fashioned body worn aids. They've tried newer aids and have even gotten some sound perception. It's very good that they're taking a "it might work or might not work" approach.
 
JennyB said:
I am glad to hear you use ASL with her! I promise you that she will be so thankful for that when she gets older.

I used to have a 60db loss in db my right ear and aided I could hear speech very well with both ears. Since then I have dropped to about a 115db loss in both ears though.

Just out of curiosity do they use ASL or SEE in the total communication program she will be starting? SkullChick what did they use with you, ASL or SEE? They used SEE with me, a bit frustrating for me when I later realised that no one else really used it and had to learn ASL...sorry this is a bit off topic

Good luck, and like I said feel free to ask us any questions! We have a pretty good knowledge base around here and we are all more than willing to share it!
Click to expand...

They used SEE with me at first then in late elementary school (5th and 6th plus middle school years too) they taught me ASL. Their purpose for this is so we can write and understand the english grammar order the general concept of english before teaching me something that won't affect my language skill, unlike most kids I knew growing up that started with ASL they write and think the grammar is same as ASL when its actually not and extreme difficulity understanding english grammar when all they uses to talk in is in ASL so most of them transferred to deaf school because most others were same way and on about the same writing and reading level as them (in oregon school for the deaf most senior student graduated with 5th grade reading and writing level on specialized diploma)
 
deafdyke said:
OT but that's AWESOME!!!!!
Are you a member of the American Society for Deaf Children? You should join!
Do you have any access to the State School for the Deaf? They are a resource which is rather underutilized. If nothing else, you could have them evaluate her.
And Jennie B, with uneven losses (ie hoh in one ear but profound in the other) they usually just aid one ear. That's actually good.....less expense.
Click to expand...

No I'm not a member but it sounds like something I should check out though. We are SO new to this (parenting a deaf child). Sorry not sure Deaf or deaf is the right way to say it for her since she is really still just learning to sign and not involved in the Deaf community yet (still working on attachment issues and such related to growing up in an orphanage so not much room for peers yet but soon I hope). Anyways, thanks so much for all the support and advice. We have a big school for the Deaf in Austin, TX but it's about 3 hours or so away. I have never been there but have looked at the website and wish we lived closer so she could attend as a day student instead of going to public school next year.
 
JennyB said:
I am glad to hear you use ASL with her! I promise you that she will be so thankful for that when she gets older.

I used to have a 60db loss in db my right ear and aided I could hear speech very well with both ears. Since then I have dropped to about a 115db loss in both ears though.

Just out of curiosity do they use ASL or SEE in the total communication program she will be starting? SkullChick what did they use with you, ASL or SEE? They used SEE with me, a bit frustrating for me when I later realised that no one else really used it and had to learn ASL...sorry this is a bit off topic

Good luck, and like I said feel free to ask us any questions! We have a pretty good knowledge base around here and we are all more than willing to share it!
Click to expand...

Ok I have to admit I TRY hard to use ASL with her but sometimes it's more a mix of ASL and SEE. My husband signs more like SEE with mostly ASL signs (does that make sense?) and my 5 year old son does as well. I really want to be better at ASL but until she goes to school next school year I will have no time to take any more classes to help me with ASL. I took ASL in college and was in the interpreting program but had to quit b/c I got pregnant and was too sick to finish. Never went back b/c I was a stay at home mom after that. So it's been a good 6 years since I was in ASL class and I lost touch with my Deaf friends and my ASL is a little rusty but I do TRY. Elijah didn't know any sign language or how to lip read at the orphanage. So ASL (or my version of it) is truly her first language. She knows around 500 signs now (maybe more) in just 7 months of being in America. She is a smart little girl. I have a good friend who is an ASL interpreter and she comes down some Sundays to interpret for my daughter at Sunday school. So she is exposed to REAL ASL when she is there. My friend also has helped us a few times with our ASL.
The school will probably be more SEE then ASL since they talk at the same time as they sign. I am just assuming this but have not been told this directly. Thanks for all the replies!
 
deafdyke said:
Oh that's good. There's the possibilty that she might have some sound perception in her profound ear. It's always good to experiment since hearing losses are so indvidual with how they respond to aiding. Especially with the newer ones!
I know people who were kids in the 80's, who were so deaf that they didn't even have any response with those old fashioned body worn aids. They've tried newer aids and have even gotten some sound perception. It's very good that they're taking a "it might work or might not work" approach.
Click to expand...

I just got the results from her ABR in the mail today. I really don't know exactly what it all means but here is what it says:

Right ear: Synchronous neural responses to air-conducted clicks were questionably seen in the right ear at a high intensity level (95dBnHL). A questionable response to an air conducted tone burst was observed at 95dBnHL. No response was obtained for a 500Hz tone burst.

Left ear: Synchronous neural responses to air-conducted clicks were obtained down to 65dBnHL. Wave morphology was good. Both absolute and interpeak wave latencies occurred within expected clinic norms. Responses to air-conducted tone bursts (500Hz, 2000Hz, and 4000Hz) were obtained down to 65dBnHL for all frequencies.


OK so can anyone explain to me what the heck all that means in English? I don't understand any of it except I was told that 60 is speech level and so 65 means she can't hear speech (unaided). Thanks so much!
 
American Society for Deaf Children Here is the website! It's an excellent resource....HIGHLY reccomended! There's also an affliated listserv: Archives of PARENTDEAF-HH@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU. That sucks that you're far away from Austin
However, you could still contact them and ask about resources and things like that. They might be able to reccomend a specific program. I'm VERY surprised that Texas doesn't have multiple Deaf schools, being such an enourmous state. It's kind of too bad you're not in NYC. Lexington School for the Deaf, offers bilingal transistion classes for dhh children of immigrants. While there's prolly a lot of bilingal resources in Texas, its prolly mostly Spanish. The classes at Lexington are for kids who's parents speak a variety of languages. There are also some kids who didn't get too much schooling, and never wore a hearing aid or were schooled with mentally retarded kids.
I did find info on a couple of other Texas programs: RDSPD home, and Regional Day School Program for the Deaf Home Page
 
SkullChick said:
Oh wow ur probably only one I know so fae in this part of forum that is going with that method (asl as main language usage in total communication deaf ed program and use hearing aid)
I thought I was ancient "old fashioned" for little while now for using sign and have total communication as my education growing up lol its nice to see other youngster in same thing I was in.
All the best of luck in world for you guys! :mrgreen:

Growing up I was same as her I had moderate of 50 in one ear and severe of 90 in another so I got one ear aided for most of my life in TC program it worked out great for me.
I have cochlear implant now because I went from 50 to 100 and other one went from 90 to 115
Only thing from what I know before is Oticon Sumo DM is great hearing aid for profound loss if you want to try aid the other ear, for moderate sorry I can't be a much of a help for that one because I had Phonak Pico Forte analog hearing aid I didn't like it at all, too much buzzing in with the sounds. And I didn't get to trial any other brand hearing aid when I had moderate loss all my life
You can try look around for programs that help pay for hearing aid for children, ask deaf school and special education district that work with IEP.
Click to expand...


I think my daughter is a 65 in one ear and 95 in the other if I am understanding the results correctly. So yeah she seems to have a similar hearing loss as you did.

That kind of surprised me when I read that I may be the only mom on the forum with that view of ASL that you have seen. I guess it has to do with my exposure to the Deaf culture in college with my Deaf friends and I went to many Deaf events (even saw a Deaf poet, he was really good). I have noticed I have some strong views on some issues that come directly from my old college friends who are Deaf and heavily involved in the Deaf community. So that may be why I strongly feel ASL should be her first language though right now she probably signs a mixture of ASL and signed English (is that SEE?) b/c I am not interpreter level ASL signer but I try. I know these things are touchy issues so I won't go into this stuff. But I do want to ask one thing, is it very likely that she will lose more hearing as she gets older? Her loss was caused by a medication she was given before the age of 1. Atleast that is what we were told.
 
deafdyke said:
American Society for Deaf Children Here is the website! It's an excellent resource....HIGHLY reccomended! There's also an affliated listserv: Archives of PARENTDEAF-HH@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU. That sucks that you're far away from Austin
However, you could still contact them and ask about resources and things like that. They might be able to reccomend a specific program. I'm VERY surprised that Texas doesn't have multiple Deaf schools, being such an enourmous state. It's kind of too bad you're not in NYC. Lexington School for the Deaf, offers bilingal transistion classes for dhh children of immigrants. While there's prolly a lot of bilingal resources in Texas, its prolly mostly Spanish. The classes at Lexington are for kids who's parents speak a variety of languages. There are also some kids who didn't get too much schooling, and never wore a hearing aid or were schooled with mentally retarded kids.
I did find info on a couple of other Texas programs: RDSPD home, and Regional Day School Program for the Deaf Home Page
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links. I will check them out. The only schools for the Deaf I have found near us (we are near Houston) are all oral schools and well.....I want one that uses ASL. Anyways, I will check out the links you found for me. Thanks!
 
Ototoxicity huh? Who knows, she may lose more hearing later on, or she might not. Everyone's different. I've heard of some meningitis victims who have progressive losses, and others (like myself) who maintain basically the same hearing loss levels.

I know someone who had been given some medications as a premature baby, which resulted in her being deaf. I think her hearing loss has stayed about the same her whole life.

PSE, good stuff! I grew up learning SEE at the local deaf school, but started learning some ASL in 8th grade. Since then, I pretty much mix up the 2, and from my understanding that's what PSE is, a mixture/combo of both SEE and ASL.

It's good to know there are still some parents who want to use sign language/ASL with their children. Most of the time, they are told not to by "professionals" as they seem to think using signs will prevent the child from ever learning how to speak, which is not true as far as I can tell (oh my poor parents suffered the same "abuse" from so-called "professionals" about using signs with me. All my parents cared about was being able to communicate with me, they didn't care if I would ever speak again or not, but by golly, I did speak again, heck I even used my voice when I signed at home when my family pretty much dropped the signs.).
 
Whoa... that's a lot of money for hearing aids like those.

Why do they cost so much and what makes them so unique?

The digital hearing aid that I wear is normally priced at $1,250. I find it hard that a hearing aid would cost more than $2,000 (or anything over $1,700).

Will the hearing aids REALLY help?

I have a friend who has profound hearing loss and his audiologist recommended a couple expensive hearing aids. He got them, but never benefited from them. So, he stopped wearing them.
 
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