Phonak FM System

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ryancher

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faire_jour said:
We do a MyLink for my daughter. You don't need boots, just the t-coil.
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Which transmitter do you have - I see SmartLink, ZoomLink, EasyLink

MyLink appears to be a receiver.

What is the difference between using a t-coil receiver and a boot receiver?
 
hmmm... just looked it up... not sure if I like the idea of the t coil... for one thing, not sure if Tyler would keep it around his neck. He may end up playing with it (remember he is a 3 year old), not to mention I'm not sure if I like the idea of having something around his neck (for obvious safety reasons).

Is a boot reliable for a toddler?
 
ryancher said:
Which transmitter do you have - I see SmartLink, ZoomLink, EasyLink

MyLink appears to be a receiver.

What is the difference between using a t-coil receiver and a boot receiver?
Click to expand...

The t-coil is built in the hearing aid, you don't have to add the boot on, that is the benefit. I understand what you are saying with the neckloop.

Why are you looking into a FM? What are you hoping to get from it?
 
faire_jour said:
The t-coil is built in the hearing aid, you don't have to add the boot on, that is the benefit. I understand what you are saying with the neckloop.

Why are you looking into a FM? What are you hoping to get from it?
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I'm looking into a FM for 2 reasons -

1st - he'll be wearing one in school and I want to start getting him adjusted to it now. Not to mention, he goes to preschool now and I want his resource teacher who works with him to wear it.

2nd - I want to add an FM system to provide Tyler with much closer & clearer speech in all areas - at home, in the car, grocery shopping, etc.. I want Tyler to be able to easily communicate with me from anywhere in the house (my voice constantly being in his ear as opposed to outside sounds, tv, radio, hum of fridge/fan, etc...).

As for what I want to get from it... I just want to try it and see if Tyler benefits from it. I'll take what ever benefits he receives from it regardless of how little or big.
 
Honestly, there are some HUGE cons to an FM at this age. The biggest is that he can not report what he is hearing. If the FM is not working properly, he will be left with compromised sound (ie static all day) and he won't be able to tell you that is what he hears.

Since he is at home all day, with minimal background, that is a big risk to take for such little added benefit. You would likely be making speech very minimally louder, and not at all clearer. Most oral advocates do not recommend an FM before school age.
 
faire_jour said:
Honestly, there are some HUGE cons to an FM at this age. The biggest is that he can not report what he is hearing. If the FM is not working properly, he will be left with compromised sound (ie static all day) and he won't be able to tell you that is what he hears.

Since he is at home all day, with minimal background, that is a big risk to take for such little added benefit. You would likely be making speech very minimally louder, and not at all clearer. Most oral advocates do not recommend an FM before school age.
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I disagree. I think Tyler could benefit from FM at this point. Tyler isn't an only child and there is enough back ground noise in the house that he could benefit. Not only in the house, but when they are out.

I disagree with your statement about FM not making speech clearer. It does make it clearer. I get speech discrim with FM that I do not get with aids only. With FM, especially with an external mic (I use the lapel mic all the time) the mic is significantly closer to the speaker, therefor picking up way more than when the mics are 6 feet or more away - like when the mics are on the ear.

I will also warn you, the sound quality of the mylink sucks. I used it for a year and a half before getting boots. Tcoil picks up a lot of electronic frequencies. I couldn't use tcoil on the bus, close to my tv, in many places in my home, if there was a camera taking pictures. the buzzing would literally take over. I would hear nothing else. The boots solved this one hundred percent.
 
all I know is that she feels his current situation isn't working. Let her try something different. IF her child does have autism (from one of her post) and is deaf, he may do better with FM system because it make background noise is less distracting for him.
 
faire_jour said:
Honestly, there are some HUGE cons to an FM at this age. The biggest is that he can not report what he is hearing. If the FM is not working properly, he will be left with compromised sound (ie static all day) and he won't be able to tell you that is what he hears.

Since he is at home all day, with minimal background, that is a big risk to take for such little added benefit. You would likely be making speech very minimally louder, and not at all clearer. Most oral advocates do not recommend an FM before school age.
Click to expand...

Firstly... I don't know a lot about FM systems just yet but I plan on testing the FM system quite regularly as I do with his hearing aids. I'm sure there is a chance that the FM could malfunction between testing... but I'm willing to take that chance for the amount of times this happens vs. the amount of times it works properly and helps Tyler. Not to mention I think Tyler would somehow try to convey to me that there is a problem - he does that now with his aids. If they aren't working he pulls them out and brings them to me (or gives them to his older brother who brings them to me).

Secondly... he is NOT at home all day - he goes to preschool 3 mornings a week with approx. 20 students and 3 teachers. I'm going to send his FM to school with him and let his resource teacher use it.

And as for minimal background noise in our home... as with any home with children and dogs/cats and such - there is quite a bit of background noise. People talking, music playing, noisy toys, tv on, telephone ringing, dog barking, etc... When I'm working with him on speech I try to eliminate as much of this background noise but it's not always possible - not to mention I want Tyler to be able to hear speech over all these other sounds for the majority of the day (not just during our speech sessions).

I've been researching FM systems and from what I read they do make speech clearer (isn't that the main purpose) - I know they won't make it any louder but clearer yes. I'm hoping with closer and clearer speech directly in his aids - it will improve his understanding.
 
deafgal001 said:
all I know is that she feels his current situation isn't working. Let her try something different. IF her child does have autism (from one of her post) and is deaf, he may do better with FM system because it make background noise is less distracting for him.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, he's not autistic... a few professionals have mentioned it but personally I think it's from lack of knowledge about hearing loss.
 
ryancher said:
...Is a boot reliable for a toddler?
Click to expand...
I see that our sons are about the same age and have the same hearing loss. He has a FM system but it is used only in school (3yo preschool). The "boots" on his are essentially just larger end caps that replace the original ones on the hearing aids
ryancher said:
I'm looking into a FM for 2 reasons -

1st - he'll be wearing one in school and I want to start getting him adjusted to it now. Not to mention, he goes to preschool now and I want his resource teacher who works with him to wear it.
Click to expand...
Are you in the US? Just curious because our EI people placed our son in preschool early and for free (this is his second year of 3yo preschool) and they bought the FM system for his teacher to use. He is also seen by a SP and deaf/hoh teacher in preschool and we havent had to pay a thing.
 
Elliotts Dad said:
I see that our sons are about the same age and have the same hearing loss. He has a FM system but it is used only in school (3yo preschool). The "boots" on his are essentially just larger end caps that replace the original ones on the hearing aids

Are you in the US? Just curious because our EI people placed our son in preschool early and for free (this is his second year of 3yo preschool) and they bought the FM system for his teacher to use. He is also seen by a SP and deaf/hoh teacher in preschool and we havent had to pay a thing.
Click to expand...

Nice to meet you... :wave:

We live in Ontario, Canada. Tyler qualifies for ACSD (assistance) so his aids/FM and equipment are all covered. We have to pay for preschool but he also gets a SLP, deaf/hoh teacher, and such covered for free. It all helps!!!
 
the fm system can help a lot..the only situation I don't like it in is when both my ha's are in and fm is on and other ppl ask questions it's kind of hard to hear. I have the Naida V's and I was told the ML10i or the MLXi with my iCom or MLXi's with a universal boot but that's just too much..makes the aid much longer and heavier and the naidas are already big enough esp for tiny ears like your sons..the MLX10s are great since they are integrated and are replaced from the battery door so they can just stay on his aids and don't need to be taken off:) ...since Ive gone through so many ha's and I don't wanna have to get new receivers with each new aid since receivers usually only fit one type of ha, I'm gonna use the MLXi with my iCom as a neck loop. Dunno how the sound quality will be but hope not bad..
 
ryancher said:
Nice to meet you... :wave:

We live in Ontario, Canada. Tyler qualifies for ACSD (assistance) so his aids/FM and equipment are all covered. We have to pay for preschool but he also gets a SLP, deaf/hoh teacher, and such covered for free. It all helps!!!
Click to expand...

Anything helps!

Elliott does well with the FM system we are told, and the teacher says that if she forgets to plug in the receiver he will come up to her and gesture for her to do so.
I initially thought about getting one for home but he seems to be fine without one.
 
AliciaM said:
... the MLX10s are great since they are integrated and are replaced from the battery door so they can just stay on his aids and don't need to be taken off:)
Click to expand...

Since the MLX10s are replaced from the battery door - can they stay on the ha's even when the fm system is not being used? Or do I have to keep removing and putting back on?
 
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