CI and HA user how do you train your brain

vallee

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I'm looking for tips on how you get your brain to understand sounds and words. I do not qualify for speech or language therapy, so I have to do most of the work at home. Here is what I use.

1. Pick an older song, one I remember from the 80's, pull up the lyric, listen and sing. I listen to the song in each ear for 30 minutes and then together. I like songs where you can pick out the instruments and lyrics like older Madonna, George Michael, and Elton John

2. Listen to my daughters books on tape. I love the magic tree house books. I can download them to the ipod.

Off topic, I have been sick with strep throat so my Thanksgiving plans have changed. Did not get home to see mom and dad. My dad is in a wheelchair from strokes, so I can't get him sick. So now I'm home driving everyone crazy singing. Now my daughter has it.
 
I'm looking for tips on how you get your brain to understand sounds and words. I do not qualify for speech or language therapy, so I have to do most of the work at home. Here is what I use.

1. Pick an older song, one I remember from the 80's, pull up the lyric, listen and sing. I listen to the song in each ear for 30 minutes and then together. I like songs where you can pick out the instruments and lyrics like older Madonna, George Michael, and Elton John

2. Listen to my daughters books on tape. I love the magic tree house books. I can download them to the ipod.

Off topic, I have been sick with strep throat so my Thanksgiving plans have changed. Did not get home to see mom and dad. My dad is in a wheelchair from strokes, so I can't get him sick. So now I'm home driving everyone crazy singing. Now my daughter has it.

I'm a bit puzzled. Are you saying that Vanderbilt Hospital implanted you bilaterally without offering any follow up services that would enable you to use your CIs optimally?
 
I'm a bit puzzled. Are you saying that Vanderbilt Hospital implanted you bilaterally without offering any follow up services that would enable you to use your CIs optimally?

All it means is I don't see a separate speech therapist for speech skills and language skills. Yes, Vanderbilt is has excellent follow-up treatment.
 
All it means is I don't see a separate speech therapist for speech skills and language skills. Yes, Vanderbilt is has excellent follow-up treatment.

So, you are getting auditory therapy? It is the auditory therapy that trains the brain to recognize words and sounds through the use of the implant.
 
Let's get back on topic. What strategies do HA and CI users to help train your brain in identifying and discrimate sounds.

The SLP from my school gave me some Auditory Perception Training (APT) tapes to use. It is lot harder than I thought. It includes background noises like a classroom. I just started today and I finished tape 4.

I am going to try the English lesson that was posted.
 
Let's get back on topic. What strategies do HA and CI users to help train your brain in identifying and discrimate sounds.

The SLP from my school gave me some Auditory Perception Training (APT) tapes to use. It is lot harder than I thought. It includes background noises like a classroom. I just started today and I finished tape 4.

I am going to try the English lesson that was posted.

So.......I'll take that as a "No." Interesting.
 
So.......I'll take that as a "No." Interesting.

You may take it as - I am not getting into that type of discussion with you. I refuse to allow myself to debate with you. We have different views, I am not going to change mine and I know you are not going to change yours. All you want ito do is argue with someone, pick someone else.

I have auditory mapping and training, but not all work is done in an office. You have to practice and train your brain to understand sounds and words. Different people use different ways - me, I use music. I am looking for other ways as well. I want to learn from other HA and CI users.

also don't twist my words around. I am trying to keep peace here.
 
You may take it as - I am not getting into that type of discussion with you. I refuse to allow myself to debate with you. We have different views, I am not going to change mine and I know you are not going to change yours. All you want ito do is argue with someone, pick someone else.

I have auditory mapping and training, but not all work is done in an office. You have to practice and train your brain to understand sounds and words. Different people use different ways - me, I use music. I am looking for other ways as well. I want to learn from other HA and CI users.

also don't twist my words around. I am trying to keep peace here.

I understand that you have mapping......but that is adjustment of the devise itself. I am not arguing with you at all. I am simply asking if you do not receive any form of therapy that is designed to assist you in the interpretation of sound into something meaningful, or if you are simply implanted and expected to do this on your own. I also fully understand the need for practice and training, and thus my question. Which was, is part of the follow up with the CI, for you specifically since you started the thread, auditory training conducted by a professional who is trained in the techniques and can offer you assistance and guidance?

It is a simple yes or no question, and does not involve opinion in the slightest way.
 
Vallee I used music and watching TV/movies with CC a lot when I first got my CI. I'd google up the lyrics to new songs and "listen along" then try to see if I could recognize the words the next day without having the lyrics up. I also listened to some audio books, and sometimes I'd just sit with friends/family and focus on listening to them talk.
 
I'm looking for tips on how you get your brain to understand sounds and words. I do not qualify for speech or language therapy, so I have to do most of the work at home. Here is what I use.

1. Pick an older song, one I remember from the 80's, pull up the lyric, listen and sing. I listen to the song in each ear for 30 minutes and then together. I like songs where you can pick out the instruments and lyrics like older Madonna, George Michael, and Elton John

2. Listen to my daughters books on tape. I love the magic tree house books. I can download them to the ipod.

Off topic, I have been sick with strep throat so my Thanksgiving plans have changed. Did not get home to see mom and dad. My dad is in a wheelchair from strokes, so I can't get him sick. So now I'm home driving everyone crazy singing. Now my daughter has it.

I have to say, I'm really slack with the training as I don't feel the need. I do turn on the radio though if I am in the car, but that is more for interest and pleasure.

I think the best way is to saturate your listening environment with a range of every day experiences. Talk to people with accents, talk on the phone, talk in noise etc.

I didn't have formal speech therapy after the implant either,although to begin with my audie gave me some listening exercises to practice at home but those were pretty easy so I lost interest. I think it's generally done on a case by case basis anyway, as some of my audie's clients do have speech therapy, especially if they didn't have much previous auditory experience.

Sorry to hear that you are sick at the moment and hope that you are feeling better soon! It must be tough not being able to see your dad over thanksgiving, especially in the condition that he is now.
 
Vallee,

Here are some strategies I've found to help me refine my listening skills with my CIs:

* books on tape (books that do not contain background music are the easiest to hear so be sure to start with those -- especially if you are in the beginning stages of activation) and follow along with the print version.
* listening to talk radio stations (such as National Public Radio or the BBC)
* asking a friend to read a short magazine article over the phone
* visiting various auditory websites on the Internet
* having a friend read a list of words that sound alike and requesting that I identify them

Hope these suggestions help and that you feel better soon! :)
 
Vallee,

Here are some strategies I've found to help me refine my listening skills with my CIs:

* books on tape (books that do not contain background music are the easiest to hear so be sure to start with those -- especially if you are in the beginning stages of activation) and follow along with the print version.
* listening to talk radio stations (such as National Public Radio or the BBC)
* asking a friend to read a short magazine article over the phone
* visiting various auditory websites on the Internet
* having a friend read a list of words that sound alike and requesting that I identify them

Hope these suggestions help and that you feel better soon! :)


I will try the suggestions. It is just amazing, my "bad ear" picks up more than my good ear. I think my mapping is better on that ear. I was watching Abbie's activation video and I could hear the clicking of the keyboard by her audie. It took a few times to figure out what that was.

For those of you who have had your CI a while, does it stay stable or do you always need to keep training your ears? I do not have mapping for 3 months. So a little worried and excited between audie visits. ( I had 10 mapping in the last 3 months).
 
I'm looking for tips on how you get your brain to understand sounds and words. I do not qualify for speech or language therapy, so I have to do most of the work at home. Here is what I use.

1. Pick an older song, one I remember from the 80's, pull up the lyric, listen and sing. I listen to the song in each ear for 30 minutes and then together. I like songs where you can pick out the instruments and lyrics like older Madonna, George Michael, and Elton John

2. Listen to my daughters books on tape. I love the magic tree house books. I can download them to the ipod.

...

I was fortunate enough not having not to bother with any of that stuff.

Having said that, I would surmise that listening to audio tapes, talk radio would be the best bet. I have noticed that it works well as I listen to talk radio frequently.

I wouldn't really use songs as such because the words are distorted for the most part and not standard speech. Nobody really "sings" to each other...:D
 
I was fortunate enough not having not to bother with any of that stuff.

Having said that, I would surmise that listening to audio tapes, talk radio would be the best bet. I have noticed that it works well as I listen to talk radio frequently.

I wouldn't really use songs as such because the words are distorted for the most part and not standard speech. Nobody really "sings" to each other...:D

Agreed. I listen to the radio every day. Oh, yeah about songs being harder to understand. Even some late deafened have a hard time following songs.
 
Valle doll,

I don't go to auditory therapy either. It is done on my own dime and time. I use Audio books on my Ipod, in my car, different english as a second language websites. My mom will say words to me covering up her lips and I attempt to the repeat them. It all helps. I force myself not to lipread and make an attempt to listen to the conversation. I'm use to asking people to repeat themselves so it is no different when I don't get the gist of the conversation :) Basically what Hear Again and R2D2 said.

As far as auditory therapy goes, most clinics offer it but I would have to pay out of pocket for my therapy when I can do the same thing at home. You wouldn't expect a hearing aid dispenser to sell you a hearing aid and then automatically follow up with therapy as a free for all? Writing a comment that insinuates that the clinic, surgeon, or audiologist is shamefully refusing auditory therapy when there is other more common sense factors such as lack of insurance coverage for that service, money, time or lack of determination for those who actually need the therapy.
 
For those of you who have had your CI a while, does it stay stable or do you always need to keep training your ears? I do not have mapping for 3 months. So a little worried and excited between audie visits. ( I had 10 mapping in the last 3 months).

Everything sounds robotic at the moment for me lol! I can't wait until the 10th. I sound like I am on the fritz :)
 
Valle doll,

I don't go to auditory therapy either. It is done on my own dime and time. I use Audio books on my Ipod, in my car, different english as a second language websites. My mom will say words to me covering up her lips and I attempt to the repeat them. It all helps. I force myself not to lipread and make an attempt to listen to the conversation. I'm use to asking people to repeat themselves so it is no different when I don't get the gist of the conversation :) Basically what Hear Again and R2D2 said.

As far as auditory therapy goes, most clinics offer it but I would have to pay out of pocket for my therapy when I can do the same thing at home. You wouldn't expect a hearing aid dispenser to sell you a hearing aid and then automatically follow up with therapy as a free for all? Writing a comment that insinuates that the clinic, surgeon, or audiologist is shamefully refusing auditory therapy when there is other more common sense factors such as lack of insurance coverage for that service, money, time or lack of determination for those who actually need the therapy.

Who said anything about "free"? And we are talking about a teaching hospital with a speech and hearing center connected. My comment is more reagrading the attitude of "get paid for the expensive implant and cut 'em loose." In the case of post lingually deafnened adults, this may not have such negative consequences. In the case of a prelingually deafened child,the negative consequences can ber untold. I doubt seriously if the same hospital would fit an amputee with a prosthetic leg and then not provide physical therapy that allows the patient to optimally learn to use the prosthesis. The same attitude should apply.
 
Who said anything about "free"? And we are talking about a teaching hospital with a speech and hearing center connected. My comment is more reagrading the attitude of "get paid for the expensive implant and cut 'em loose." In the case of post lingually deafnened adults, this may not have such negative consequences. In the case of a prelingually deafened child,the negative consequences can ber untold. I doubt seriously if the same hospital would fit an amputee with a prosthetic leg and then not provide physical therapy that allows the patient to optimally learn to use the prosthesis. The same attitude should apply.

This is a perfect example of you turning a innocent post into a battlegroud for your "cause". It reallly is disheartening for those of of who seek information and communication with those who may be able to share their experience and opinions without it turning into an arguement.
 
This is a perfect example of you turning a innocent post into a battlegroud for your "cause". It reallly is disheartening for those of of who seek information and communication with those who may be able to share their experience and opinions without it turning into an arguement.

The only arguing I have seen is coming from those who seem to think that the practice is okay. I simply asked a question. Exactly what "cause" is it that you think I am attempting to further? Better care for those implanted patients would be the answer.
 
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