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DanielsMom

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Hi, everyone! I'm new here. My youngest son (almost 5) is going deaf. We were told last week that he's at about 50% loss (identical loss in both ears ... upper range is best and gets worse toward the lower range ... sensorineural). We've seen two audiologists over the past 6 months, and both agree that his hearing is getting worse rapidly (he was at 40% in December). We were told last week that he needs hearing aids in both ears, but we just discovered that our insurance doesn't pay a dime of it. :shock:

*First questions*

We'll be working with an audiologist through the children's hospital. She gave us brochures for Phonak Junior and Oticon Safari to look over and decide. Our insurance said there is a discount program through hearingcaresolutions.com or hearpo.com (looks like hearpo has Phonak, but hearingcaresolutions doesn't have either). Can anyone tell me about these discount programs and/or give opinions about Phonak vs. Oticon? (We make way too much for programs that are need-based, but we don't have a stash of cash just lying around the house, either.)

*Second questions*

The audiologist said that ear molds will be $65 per ear and will last a couple of years unless he has a growth spurt. I'm seeing online that people say you need them every year though. Which is correct?

Also, she said that the part behind the ear is just a tiny computer that can be tweaked, so it'll last up to 10 years, but again... I'm seeing online that people say they're only good for about 3 years. Why the huge difference in opinion?

*Third questions*

What does a 4 year old actually need? I feel like I'm buying a car with all the "options" in the brochure. I have no idea what he does or doesn't need, and I don't want to pay for things he doesn't need. (If it matters, his speech is great, and he's reading at about a 2nd grade level, too. We homeschool, so classroom modifications aren't necessary.)

*Finally done... I promise...*

A final, sort of ridiculous question: I took my oldest son to Six Flags yesterday, and on each ride, I couldn't help but wonder about my youngest son going in a few years. Is he supposed to take the hearing aids out for every ride? I really have no idea how all this works. :Oops:
 
A four year old grows fast. He will need new earmolds about every three months. And the $65 figure is very low.
 
The audiologist should have payment options if you don't qualify for need based. I lost hearing as an adult so I have no idea what options patents have, but others might,

From experience the Oticons are a more natural sound than the phonaks and since he was hearing he might adjust to the sound better. I hate when they use percents, that means like nothing to me, but if he's losing it rapidly, and they don't really see an end in sight, his aids might last longer than 3 years, but his loss could surpass the aids capabilities so make sure you get ones with enough power to cover any further loss. An analogue could last that long, not sure about digitals. This is what I went through getting an aids without enough power, and then I ended up in profound with aids meant for severe and had to get new ones when the others were stil good.

When I go to an amusement park I take my aid out and stick in my pocket, not sure how recommended that is....and I'm a woman and I like a pair of pants to make my butt look good so they're snug ;) no chance of it falling out. I'm sure you could think of something :)
 
#1: My son has Phonak Jr. and we've been really happy with it.

#2: Our ear molds have lasted approx 6 months however at our Audi ours cost $125.00/each

#3: My son is 3 and we love Ear Gear which connects to his shirt that way we don't lose them! They're pricey (the HA) and the neoprene helps with sweat, too.

#4: I'd take them out ;)

It's all very overwhelming and can be very emotional. Have you started ASL with your son? My son will have a CI implanted this month, but ASL is VERY important to us to learn as we feel that it's necessary to give him as many tools in his communication toolbox as possible.
 
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No, we haven't started sign yet. I asked the audiologist about it, and she looked at me like I had 3 heads. She didn't think it was necessary and said he could learn it later if he wants to. That doesn't make sense to me, though. Why would it help for him to learn it if I have no idea what he's saying? :hmm: I guess she meant because I can still hear him... but if it gets to a point that he can't hear me, I'd like to know some sign.

He's watched several episodes of Signing Time on PBS over the past few months, but I haven't seen it as much. Rumor has it, we might qualify for free ASL lessons via Skype through the state's deaf school. I have no idea, though. This is all still new to me.

How long has your 3 y/o had HA's?
 
Learning to sign is another benefitial to communicate and it is a must when hearing aids are taken out. Just a thought.
 
I wear Phonak but I probably would go with Oticon if they have a model that is strong enough. In Texas (and probably most places) you have the right to try an HA for 30 days without obligation so you could try one and then possibly switch is you were unhappy with it. Although with a child 30 days might not be long enough to judge.

Botts is right, you are going to have to replace molds often. I would try negotiating a price on future molds when buying an aid. Hearing aids are a pretty competitive biz and you might find a place willing to commit to $30 future molds just to get the high dollar sale. Maybe not but it is worth a try.

I also agree with JClark. The younger you start the kid on ASL, the better.

Good Luck!
 
DanielsMom - what state are you in?
 
Bottesini said:
A four year old grows fast. He will need new earmolds about every three months. And the $65 figure is very low.
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And earmolds that do not fit properly will feedback a lot too. I never had to replace my earmolds every year once I stop growing. They last me awhile about four years or more . What about other people.
 
(If it matters, his speech is great, and he's reading at about a 2nd grade level, too. We homeschool, so classroom modifications aren't necessary.)
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Oh that's awesome...........You don't need to worry about speech etc. I would strongly suggest contacting Texas School for the Deaf for supplemental stuff like camps etc. http://www.tsd.state.tx.us/.....They can give you the really good Deaf supplemental stuff....They serve HOH kids. Are you guys Christian homeschoolers or near Dallas? There's a lot of Christian Deaf stuff, including Christian Deaf camps.....In Dallas there is a private small Deaf School: Lovers Lane Academy for the Deaf
 
If he has a progressive loss, he is unlikely be able to have the same hearing aids for very long. There are different hearing aids for different degrees of hearing loss. There are some people on here that have maxed out 4 different sets of hearing aids in 5 years due to having a progressive hearing loss.

Earmold for small children will last a maximum of 3 months, sometimes you need them done more often, sometimes even as short as every 6 weeks.

Earmolds will last a lot longer for adults but not for children. Also ears never stop growing even as a adult, they just slow down.
 
Why do Our Ears and Nose Never Stop Growing?
Answer
Our ears and noses never stop growing because cartilage which is contained in them continues to grow until the day we die. Not only does cartilage grow, but the earlobes also elongate from gravity making ears look even larger.
 
As an adult, I don't need to replace earmolds every year. Only when they get old, hard, start producing feedback. I would say that is about every 2 years or so for me. But a 5 year old? I think you will be replacing them at least twice a year because he's still growing. The $65 each sounds about right, it's about what I pay too. The trick is to find a good Audi who has your sons best interests at heart and not about the money.
 
AlleyCat said:
As an adult, I don't need to replace earmolds every year. Only when they get old, hard, start producing feedback. I would say that is about every 2 years or so for me. But a 5 year old? I think you will be replacing them at least twice a year because he's still growing. The $65 each sounds about right, it's about what I pay too. The trick is to find a good Audi who has your sons best interests at heart and not about the money.
Click to expand...

This is a great point to. You want an Audi that your child is comfortable with. Don't use price as the only variable you consider. But at the same time don't be afraid to negotiate with all of them. I was able to get a substantial discount from my Audi by offering to give them advertising space at my events.
 
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