MomToDeafChild
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- Mar 7, 2007
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Tomorrow makes 1 week since Abby was re-activated. We weren't expecting it to work (doctors told us auditory nerve failure) so it was a complete shock when she started responding in the audi's office. When we left, she was on a similar program to what she used to use, and the audi enabled the volume control so we could change it if needed. We knew she was hearing, but discrimination was extremely poor, so all of that will take time, maybe a year or more from what we've heard, but we can handle that.
I noticed right away that it would take me several tries to get her attention by calling her. Some of the time she was blatantly ignoring me, lol, while others, it seemed like the sound was getting to her, but her brain wasn't processing it for several seconds. This has improved after a week. She now usually turns at the first try (unless she is ignoring me!).
We've been practicing the Ling sounds, and after 1 week she gets Ah easily, Mm, Ss, and Sh most of the time, and Ee and Oo only occasionally. I've noticed that she is better able to understand if I am closer to her mic (like right near it). Overall, I'd say she gets them right about 50% of the time.
I've noticed that she needs her volume increased, and have tried to raise it, but because of the malformed cochlea she gets an eye twitch if the volume is too high, so that will have to be adjusted at her next mapping. She also reports that it sounds soft.
I've been making up open sets of one-syllable words/pictures using 3 pics, and I'd say she can get repeat the word 70% of the time. Yesterday I switched to two-syllable words using 6 pics, and I'd say she was around 95%. Seems the two syllable words are easier to get than the Ling sounds AND one-syllable words.
This morning I was upstairs, she was downstairs and I heard her yelling for me about an ant on the floor. I said loudly, "So step on it!", not expecting her to hear me, but then I hear, "I can't!" When I came downstairs (and killed the ant), I hid my face behind a piece of paper and said, "What do you want for breakfast?" and she replied, "Peanut Butter" (she likes PB sandwiches for breakfast, lol). Then I asked, "Do you want to go swimming today?", and she said, "Yes I want to go swimming."
I find THAT encouraging! I asked some other questions, and she got part of some and none of others, but that's a great start! Considering she's only had her initial map so far. She has her 2nd tomorrow...
I noticed right away that it would take me several tries to get her attention by calling her. Some of the time she was blatantly ignoring me, lol, while others, it seemed like the sound was getting to her, but her brain wasn't processing it for several seconds. This has improved after a week. She now usually turns at the first try (unless she is ignoring me!).
We've been practicing the Ling sounds, and after 1 week she gets Ah easily, Mm, Ss, and Sh most of the time, and Ee and Oo only occasionally. I've noticed that she is better able to understand if I am closer to her mic (like right near it). Overall, I'd say she gets them right about 50% of the time.
I've noticed that she needs her volume increased, and have tried to raise it, but because of the malformed cochlea she gets an eye twitch if the volume is too high, so that will have to be adjusted at her next mapping. She also reports that it sounds soft.
I've been making up open sets of one-syllable words/pictures using 3 pics, and I'd say she can get repeat the word 70% of the time. Yesterday I switched to two-syllable words using 6 pics, and I'd say she was around 95%. Seems the two syllable words are easier to get than the Ling sounds AND one-syllable words.
This morning I was upstairs, she was downstairs and I heard her yelling for me about an ant on the floor. I said loudly, "So step on it!", not expecting her to hear me, but then I hear, "I can't!" When I came downstairs (and killed the ant), I hid my face behind a piece of paper and said, "What do you want for breakfast?" and she replied, "Peanut Butter" (she likes PB sandwiches for breakfast, lol). Then I asked, "Do you want to go swimming today?", and she said, "Yes I want to go swimming."
I find THAT encouraging! I asked some other questions, and she got part of some and none of others, but that's a great start! Considering she's only had her initial map so far. She has her 2nd tomorrow...
