Most of my friends, family, and loyal readers of this blog know that I've been worrying, ok more like stressing, about what to do with Christian's other ear. On Christian's 1st Hearing Birthday, our questions were answered.
In addition to tweaking his MAPs a bit, Christian also had two audiograms done. One measured his hearing with his CI ear only, and the other measured his hearing with his hearing aid ear only. We learned that with his CI, he was hearing between 25-20db across all frequencies (remember, this kid has a PROFOUND hearing loss in that ear!!!) With his aid, we showed responses in the lower frequencies at 35 and in the high frequencies at 50.
Wow.
Christian then had some speech perception testing done. With his CI ear only, he tested at 96% accuracy (go buddy go!) and with his hearing aid ear only, he tested at 75% accuracy.
Wow.
So, what do all these numbers mean? Well, ends up that Christian's aid is doing much more than we thought it was. We know that he has a considerable amount of residual hearing in his aided ear, and it now performs in a moderate hearing loss range. We now know that Christian's left ear, with these test results, is too good to be implanted with a CI.
Here's what the experts say on staying bimodal:
"Specifically, the lower frequencies provided by the hearing aid can provide information about the fundamental frequencies
of a talker’s voice and vowel information, while the mid- and high-frequency information from the cochlear implant can
provide information needed on manner and place of articulation of consonants.It has also been suggested that localization ability, sound quality, and music perception may be enhanced by bimodal devices compared with bilateral cochlear implants." (Hearing aids plus cochlear implants: Optimizing the bimodal pediatric fitting, Steven A. Huart and Carol A. Sammeth, The Hearing Journal, NOVEMBER 2008 • VOL. 61 • NO. 11)
Can you tell I've spent countless hours trolling the internet for information on this?
While I am so happy to finally have some answers and a clearer picture of where we will be going with Christian these next couple of years, I still feel a bit unsettled. I have been inundated with information on the benefits of bilateral cochlear implants, and see how well both pediatric and adult patients do with them. On the flip-side, I've also collected some first-hand stories from bimodal users and know that model works as well. I know that Christian will do well regardless of what he has in his left ear. He is my superstar, and he is amazed all of us with just how well he is doing.
Our Family's Cochlear Implant Journey
Showing posts with label audiograms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label audiograms. Show all posts
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
New Programs
Chuck took Christian to his MAPping appointment this past Friday and we got 3 new programs!
P1-Regular everyday listening
P2-Noisey environments
P3-Focused listening in therapy and for music appreciation
I sent Chuck to Hopkins armed with several questions for audiologist. Most importantly, I really wanted her to know the challenges that we've been having with /s/ and /sh/. Christian definitely turns and responds to /sh/, but seems to have problems with /s/.
Ends up, our little guy is hearing at 20db almost across the board! Can I just tell you how AMAZING THAT IS? Our audi pumped up the high-frequencies in hopes to give him more access to /s/ and /sh/. Let's just say we've been talking alot about SlipperySnakes Slithering Slowly....
Christian has been a little chatterbox. We're really working on connecting language with 2 or more words. He's a champ at labeling things with one word, and he does have his expressive phrases like "Where Is___" , "All Done", "Let's Go", and "Where Did it Go?". We're really trying to work on him expressing his wants with 2 words, like "Want Juice" instead of just pointing to his sippy and saying "Juice". I have to say, it's very challenging and frustrating, as he gets easily frustrated with me pushing him constantly. I'm just hoping that with all of his other language milestones that one day it just "clicks". In the meantime, I'm the bad cop withholding his various toys, snacks, or books until he tells me with 2 words that he WANTS that item.
P1-Regular everyday listening
P2-Noisey environments
P3-Focused listening in therapy and for music appreciation
I sent Chuck to Hopkins armed with several questions for audiologist. Most importantly, I really wanted her to know the challenges that we've been having with /s/ and /sh/. Christian definitely turns and responds to /sh/, but seems to have problems with /s/.
Ends up, our little guy is hearing at 20db almost across the board! Can I just tell you how AMAZING THAT IS? Our audi pumped up the high-frequencies in hopes to give him more access to /s/ and /sh/. Let's just say we've been talking alot about SlipperySnakes Slithering Slowly....
Christian has been a little chatterbox. We're really working on connecting language with 2 or more words. He's a champ at labeling things with one word, and he does have his expressive phrases like "Where Is___" , "All Done", "Let's Go", and "Where Did it Go?". We're really trying to work on him expressing his wants with 2 words, like "Want Juice" instead of just pointing to his sippy and saying "Juice". I have to say, it's very challenging and frustrating, as he gets easily frustrated with me pushing him constantly. I'm just hoping that with all of his other language milestones that one day it just "clicks". In the meantime, I'm the bad cop withholding his various toys, snacks, or books until he tells me with 2 words that he WANTS that item.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
25dbs BABY!
Today we had Christian's 4th mapping at Hopkins and we were SO thrilled when he had consistent repeatable responses at 25db-ACROSS ALL FREQUENCIES. Check out the Speech Banana so you can get an idea of where he is hearing now. Even though his aids amplified him up to 45db, he never had access to sounds higher than 750hz. With his implant, Christian now has access to almost all of the SPEECH SOUNDS. This technology truly is a miracle.
His map was adjusted and turned up a bit more, and we have 4 new programs to try. Christian is constantly amazing us with how fabulous he is doing with his implant, and we can't wait to see what these new programs can do for him. We haven't started our official aural rehabilitation through Hopkins yet due to some scheduling conflicts there on their time (although we are going to speak with a SLP tomorrow about getting things scheduled), but we have been working around the clock with Christian on his listening and speaking skills. My Event Planning skills are definitely getting rusty, but I am sure that I can give some of the SLPs a run for their money these days! It seems like everyday he has a new word or sound. His new favorite words are Ketchup and Hot Dog. Such a boy.
His map was adjusted and turned up a bit more, and we have 4 new programs to try. Christian is constantly amazing us with how fabulous he is doing with his implant, and we can't wait to see what these new programs can do for him. We haven't started our official aural rehabilitation through Hopkins yet due to some scheduling conflicts there on their time (although we are going to speak with a SLP tomorrow about getting things scheduled), but we have been working around the clock with Christian on his listening and speaking skills. My Event Planning skills are definitely getting rusty, but I am sure that I can give some of the SLPs a run for their money these days! It seems like everyday he has a new word or sound. His new favorite words are Ketchup and Hot Dog. Such a boy.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
3rd Activation
Ok, let me start this post saying that I was fully prepared to video today's appointment, but Christian decided that today was going to be his day to test all of our patience and reflexes. The kid was a terror today! I wasn't on my A-game, either. I stayed up WAY late watching my Red Wings lose in what should've been a Stanley Cup win. I brought what I thought was our spare processor to be programmed as well, but it was just the controller. Where was my head this morning?
We did booth testing, and he did manage to sit still and have some great repeatable responses. Prior to the implant, he was hearing at 45db in low to mid, and then had a drastic drop in the highs, only getting about 75db aided. Today, he was at 35db across the board. WOW!!! We're making progress, and I'm amazed that he can now hear all these high frequency sounds that he has NEVER had access to. No wonder he is having a hard time recognizing his name. I can only imagine what "Christian" sounded like with his aids.
Our audi also gave us 4 new MAPs, 2 for normal listening environments, and 2 for noisy environments. We'll go back in a month (hooray, a month off!). Until then, we're talking non-stop, which isn't that hard for me, working on our Ling Sounds, and just trying to get him acclimated with the new and strange sounds he is probably hearing.
We did booth testing, and he did manage to sit still and have some great repeatable responses. Prior to the implant, he was hearing at 45db in low to mid, and then had a drastic drop in the highs, only getting about 75db aided. Today, he was at 35db across the board. WOW!!! We're making progress, and I'm amazed that he can now hear all these high frequency sounds that he has NEVER had access to. No wonder he is having a hard time recognizing his name. I can only imagine what "Christian" sounded like with his aids.
Our audi also gave us 4 new MAPs, 2 for normal listening environments, and 2 for noisy environments. We'll go back in a month (hooray, a month off!). Until then, we're talking non-stop, which isn't that hard for me, working on our Ling Sounds, and just trying to get him acclimated with the new and strange sounds he is probably hearing.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Every little bit helps
We had behavioral booth testing today, and all I can say is OH MY GOD.
Something we're doing is working.
Maybe it's the constant enunciation. Maybe it's always making eye contact. Maybe it's reducing the background noise in our house. Maybe it's the repetition. Maybe it's just the aids working. Maybe he's gotten the hang of "Learning to Listen". Maybe it's because I'm literally in my kids face ALL WAKING HOURS speaking and signing to him and making every moment of our day together a LANGUAGE OPPORTUNITY.
Or maybe it's just because he's older, we're wiser, and he's a rockstar.
Whatever it is, we're going to keep doing it.
Christian's hearing loss is in the severe-profound range. Without his aids, he hears in the 85db-80db range. Today in the booth he had CONSISTENT responses in the 45-40db level. That puts his hearing loss in the moderate range aided. No kidding. We knew he was hearing alot more than we thought he was when he started throwing out words like Hat and Cat. I think that while he is doing alot of lipreading, that he really can hear that hard "T" sound. I never would've expected him hearing THIS well though. It's just wonderful.
Still, even with his fantastic progress, our audiologist today indicated that she believes he would benefit from a CI. The aids cannot be amplified anymore. In fact, she told us that other than for ear molds, there's not much more that she needs to do with him.
So, we're waiting for the Hopkins appointment, and we'll see what they say. In the meantime, I'll just continue to brag about how well my kid is doing.
Something we're doing is working.
Maybe it's the constant enunciation. Maybe it's always making eye contact. Maybe it's reducing the background noise in our house. Maybe it's the repetition. Maybe it's just the aids working. Maybe he's gotten the hang of "Learning to Listen". Maybe it's because I'm literally in my kids face ALL WAKING HOURS speaking and signing to him and making every moment of our day together a LANGUAGE OPPORTUNITY.
Or maybe it's just because he's older, we're wiser, and he's a rockstar.
Whatever it is, we're going to keep doing it.
Christian's hearing loss is in the severe-profound range. Without his aids, he hears in the 85db-80db range. Today in the booth he had CONSISTENT responses in the 45-40db level. That puts his hearing loss in the moderate range aided. No kidding. We knew he was hearing alot more than we thought he was when he started throwing out words like Hat and Cat. I think that while he is doing alot of lipreading, that he really can hear that hard "T" sound. I never would've expected him hearing THIS well though. It's just wonderful.
Still, even with his fantastic progress, our audiologist today indicated that she believes he would benefit from a CI. The aids cannot be amplified anymore. In fact, she told us that other than for ear molds, there's not much more that she needs to do with him.
So, we're waiting for the Hopkins appointment, and we'll see what they say. In the meantime, I'll just continue to brag about how well my kid is doing.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The Speech Banana
Alot of our friends have asked exactly what Christian can and cannot hear. While the exact sounds that he can make out is still unknown, I'd thought I share an audiogram with the Speech Banana on it. This audiogram shows where different speech sounds (and environmental noises) fall. Right now, without his aids, he is hearing at 80db at best, with particular problems in the Higher Frequencies in both ears.
I just wanted to thank all of our friends and family who are showing such an eager interest to learn more about Christian's loss and our journey as a family. I'll continue to post tidbits like this as I learn them. We are so blessed to have an amazing group of family and friends.
I just wanted to thank all of our friends and family who are showing such an eager interest to learn more about Christian's loss and our journey as a family. I'll continue to post tidbits like this as I learn them. We are so blessed to have an amazing group of family and friends.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)