What to do?

I received my CI when I was 38 years old, for me it was the best decision I ever made. Now the CI is not perfect...but it is so much better then BTE aid I had. BTW I am deaf in both ears. Now I will say that it was rough going for a while until I got the CI mapped right....sounds sort of whiny...at first.

So for me it was the right choice
 
Turned on

John got his Implant turned on today. He didn't fuss about it at all. He was very aware of sound, but unlike what I thought would happen, he wasn't upset about it. We go back in a week to see the doctor again.
 
New Question

Maybe someone can help me. My son has recently started hitting himself in the head or hitting ohters with his head. This didn't start until after he'd had his implant turned on, could there be a connection with the two or could it just be that he's just decided that it's time to do this. Also he crys when he sees his implant, like in the morning when he gets up and I get it to put it on him he starts crying and I almost don't want to put it on him, I do of course and after sometimes 15 to 20 minutes he calms down and usually forgets it's there until he hits it with his hand and yanks it off and sometimes throws it across the room. I plan on talking to the doctor about it when we go back, and his thearopist when she comes but if anyone has any suggestions or ideas of what might be going on i'd love to hear them. thanks
 
When I turn my implant on after leaving it off all night, it feels a bit ... interesting. You could say it's a lot like waking up to a bright light in your eyes. It takes a minute or so to get adjusted, but this might be one thing contributing to the problem your child may be having.
 
Ellie said:
Maybe someone can help me. My son has recently started hitting himself in the head or hitting ohters with his head. This didn't start until after he'd had his implant turned on, could there be a connection with the two or could it just be that he's just decided that it's time to do this. Also he crys when he sees his implant, like in the morning when he gets up and I get it to put it on him he starts crying and I almost don't want to put it on him, I do of course and after sometimes 15 to 20 minutes he calms down and usually forgets it's there until he hits it with his hand and yanks it off and sometimes throws it across the room. I plan on talking to the doctor about it when we go back, and his thearopist when she comes but if anyone has any suggestions or ideas of what might be going on i'd love to hear them. thanks
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How old is your son? I am not CI person. I am concerned about the CI itself that he may not like to see them on his head. Are they really new model like smaller device or almost "invisible" caps?

Or, maybe, he does not want people to see him that he looks different. You know we have to wear hearing aids that make them look at you sometimes.

I hope that he does not have any infection in his head or ear. (Who knows.) You should ask him if something that bothers him like a little pain or something sore. i.e. ringing ear, echo sounds, dizzy, sort of sore throat (ear tube).

I do not want to jump the conclusion ...if they are older model, then the doctor is in trouble because they are out of style.
 
Hi Ellie.. I wanted to type up this post but I have avoid to reply since you posted this thread.. cuz myself is anti-CI.. and pissed that they decided to put small children.. but I dont judge.. its your decisions.. after I read all the posts.. you had John's surgery done.. and now.. hes hitting his head and all that..

I just recently read this other thread..
http://www.alldeaf.com/showthread.php?t=23105

I dont want you think i am negative.. but I am mom of 6.. I did alot of things with my kids.. went through with their health and serious issues.. anyway..

you are asking us.. to help you about your son being hitting himself.. thats very important to let doctor know.. because he is little, he couldnt communicate .. for example my daughter who is 16 months old, she can sign little but she cant talk when she is mad or something bother her.. she expressed the emotions.. by pulling hair or bite..

Maybe I was thinking that he hitting the head on something.. its like changing your tv remote channels.. like if the tv didnt clear, you jam it to make clear picture.. like static..
maybe he was like hitting the head.. "to clear the static or noises in his head"
but my advise you to see dr about it.. before it becomes real bad habit or serious.. or even head injury..

I just want to say.. I wish you luck and best.. and glad John is succeeding his surgery... God bless.
 
ellie, is it possible that the implant is turned on too loud for him, maybe he has not yet gotten used to sound, and putting the implant on too loud will be very uncomfortable.

When i got turned on two weeks ago, it was really loud and it was uncomfortable, so after the appt i turned it down a bit til i got used to the noises then turn it up. Also taking it off then putting it back on even minutes after i took it off, it is weird, it make me feel uncomfortable, take few minutes to get used to it again. So that is a possible reason for ur son.

I don';t think it has something to do with him not liking the look of him with the implant on as he is not "the same" as other children, because he is still young to even care about that right now. That would be more of a 6-10 year old behaviour or even a bit older til before teens.

I urge you to contact his audiologist who is in charge of the implant, as soon as you can and ask him/her about it.
 
Honestly at that small age - I dont think looks or appearance really matters. They are too independent and carefree. But what I can suspect is when you first turn it on (it is quite annoying at first when you turn it on) but after a while it kinda phases out and becomes comfortable. This happens to me. So he is probably going through a change and really doesn't know how to adjust to it. Maybe put it on and then try to distract him with something he really likes to do to keep his mind off it until it phases away.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions and help with this. I kind of understand that it has to be weird to not hear anything and then all of a sudden to hear something. John likes to take his Implant off and when I see that he has I put it back on so hard telling what that is like for him. I really don't think that the Implant is turned up too loud, we have ajusted it a couple times since he got it, but I don't think it's anywhere near completely turned on yet. We started out with it turned on just to where we first saw a reaction out of him, and since then have only turned it up slightly the last two times we've gone to the doctor. She was telling us that it's mainly just enough so that he can hear whats going on and get use to it and then in a month we'll see what he can handle and go from there. the waiting stage is what she refered to it as, waiting for John to be ready for it to be turned up. Since he's so young it's hard to get it where he really needs it, until he's ready. Also all the different programs on it are not turned on yet either. I've been watching him closely since we noticed him hitting his head so that I can really tell the doctor what's going on when he does it. The reason for me asking was because it will be Monday before I can call the doctor or talk to his theaporist.
 
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