Questions

I am just curious as to why they do not make a cochlear implant that is waterproof I mean when they thought of this device didnt they think about how much little kids love the water. I get so used to my daughter wearing it that I sometimes forget she has it on and she has dropped it in the bathtub or its went in the pool and I have had to get it replaced. and when it is pouring down rain I dont let her wear it because im so afraid it will ruin it. Even if they did come up with such a device its like these kids are stuck with the processor that they were given and not allowed to upgrade.
Im curious as to others thoughts on this!

How she is doing now!

 

                                             My daughter who is now 6 years old went from not hearing anything to hearing new sounds everyday, putting sentences together, starting to read books, recognize certain sounds, gaining more knowledge, starting kindergarten, recognizing everyones voices, saying her alphabet, having more intellligent conversations with everyone, counting to 20. Not only does my child do this verbally but she also as well knows all of this in sign language. I can't tell you how much this cochlear implant has improved everything. I know I am thankful for the some of the wonderful technology that they have today. I wish the Deaf society wasn't so against these and would recognize the great benefit that they would have and a totally new world that they could be living in with the sound of hearing. I know as a young mother this was one of the hardest decisions I was faced with. But just watching my child grow everyday and seeing the smile on her face as she is growing up in the hearing world I know that I did what was best for her.

Mistaken for dumb

Have you ever noticed how many peopl think that those that cannot hear or have hearing devices they think that the are stupid?  I had never heard of such a thing until I had a child that couldnt hear and wth all the research I have done of all the things I had found on this it is sad. I just wanted to say people that cannot hear or see or have any other medical conditon arent stupid. I have found that these people are very intelligent. Many times I have found myself thinking oh my daughter doesnt understand what we are saying and guesswhat she totally does. Just because she doesnt put out all the stuff she takes in doesnt mean she cant understnd and I believe if many people would take the time and realy sit down and do some research they would understand this better. I am completely amazed at how smart my daughter is she is doing things that I never thought she would be doing this early. So if you ever run into this situation an have read my blog I hope you will have a better understanding and think before you speak :)

History

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
Helen Keller

I recently had found a website that talks about the history of the Cochlear implant and thought it would be interesting to share with all of my viewers.

Eighteenth Century

Around 1790, a researcher named Volta placed metal rods in his own ears, and connected them to a circuit. This is the first known attempt at using electricity to hear. Nineteenth Century

Later around 1855, another attempt was made to stimulate the ear electronically. There were also other experiments in using electrical treatment for ear problems.

Silver Age

Thirties

In the Depression years of the thirties, researchers found that putting a current near the ear can create auditory sensations. The scientific community also learned more about how the cochlea works. An important advance was made when researchers discovered that electrical energy can be transformed into sound before reaching the inner ear.

Fifties

The year 1957 brought the first stimulation of an acoustic nerve with an electrode, by the scientists Djourno and Eyries. In that experiment, the person whose nerve was being stimulated, could hear background noise.

Sixties

Research really accelerated in the sixties. There was continued research into the electrical stimulation of the acoustic nerve. A major advance was made when researchers learned that specific auditory nerves must be stimulated with electrodes in the cochlea in order to reproduce sound. Dr. William House implanted three patients in 1961. All three found they could get some benefit from these implants. A few years later, in 1964 to 1966, an array of electrodes were placed in cochleas, with satisfactory results. Researchers learned even more about the positioning of electrodes and the results of that positioning.

Modern Times

Implant technology leaped forward in the seventies through the nineties. The seventies saw more people getting implanted, continued research, and the development of a multichannel device. By December 1984, the cochlear implant was no longer deemed experimental and was given the stamp of FDA approval for implantation into adults. Throughout the nineties, other improvements were made in speech processors and other implant technology, particularly the miniaturization of the speech processor so that it could be incorporated into a BTE hearing aid-like device.

Guest Bloggers!

Here in our Internet Marketing Class we have been asked to have some guest bloggers So I hope you enjoy the information that they provide you with :)

Happy with Preschool

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
Helen Keller

My daughters experience at school at first was very unpleasant she didn't like it at all and I was very concerned and was thinking I didn't do the right thing but as the weeks went on she made friends and made use out of her hearing she absolutely loved it. Preschool has done wonders for my child she went from only saying one to two words to putting sentences together and telling me all her friends names an her teachers. I chose preschool for her because I thought it woul be great for her to have child interaction and she would pick up a lot of stuff from the other children she did and she was enrolled there from the time she was 3 until just before her sixth bday and I have seen such dramatic changes in her and was very pleased that I had chosen this for her. I would suggest it to any parents of young children because it has taught my daughter so much and made her ready for kindergarten...

Tips for your teachers for HOH/Deaf Children

• Give deaf/hoh child seat in front or near front. This one is just common sense because the deaf/hoh student needs to be able to see the teacher and blackboard (or whiteboard) clearly.
• Be careful about turning your back, because then the deaf/hoh child can not read your lips. Face a deaf/hoh student when talking to them directly.
• Talk directly to the child, not to the interpreter . It is important to do this so that the child feels like he/she is part of the class.
• To reduce the risk of a deaf/hoh child being bullied, encourage the child or child's parents to explain deafness/hearing loss to the class.
• Always write tests, quizzes, and homework assignments on the board.
• If you have a mustache and the deaf/hoh child reads lips, consider shaving it off or reducing it to a small enough size that does not hinder lipreading.
• If the class is watching a film, either make sure the film is captioned or provide the child with a copy of the script.
• Do not treat a deaf/hoh child any differently from the hearing children. That means no special treatment.
• Request the assistance of an itinerant teachers or resource teacher. They may have more suggestions and be able to provide assistance.
• If a website used in the classroom has only audio, make notes for the deaf/hoh student (suggested by a deaf college student).
• Provide an older deaf/hoh student with note takers, either peer or professional.
• Be aware of the importance of classroom acoustics, as it has an impact on how much the deaf/hoh student is able to hear.