CI's and Music

http://tinyurl.com/mdykek

Above is an article posted on a few of the CI loops to which I belong. I found it really interesting and worth noting here. (I will also copy and paste it for reference once Mikaela starts school.) The article notes how CI users benefit in quiet environments, but how noisy environments are a huge challenge, particularly background music. Good to note for parties and just whenever we are in noisy situations.

Ever since I learned of Mikaela's hearing loss, I have listened to music less and less in the car. I know that it is a challenge to hear us talking over the road noise let alone adding in music!! If there is silence in the car, she is more likely to keep the processor on for the entire trip. Add too many potholes or background music and she is much more likely to pull it off. Subsequently, she prefers windows closed as well. The wind is too much and she will take it off.

Just sharing this here for those of you still learning about CI limitations and special considerations for CI recipients. Please take the time to read the entire article and I would love to read any comments or thoughts you have. Thanks!

Cochlear shares rise on new implant

http://business.smh.com.au/business/cochlear-rises-on-new-implant-20090603-bv0r.html


Here is an article about Cochlear Corp. and a new implant and processor coming out in a few weeks!


The implant itself will be smaller and the processor (outside of the head) is to have lots of new features and a sleeker design. Looking forward to learning all about it!


I do want to have Mikaela implanted in her left ear in a few years. Before she starts Kindergarten, maybe. It's just never an easy decision to have your child go under the knife for ANY reason, unless it's life saving. As nerve wracking as that is as well, it is much easier to justify! :0)

Never know when the link will be taken down so here is the article below:

Cochlear rises on new implant
Eli GreenblatJune 3, 2009 - 11:57AM
Shares in bionic-ear implant company Cochlear rose nearly 2 per cent this morning on growing speculation the company will soon win US Food and Drug Administration approval for its new implant and processor.

The win from the US regulator would allow a launch at a forthcoming key US conference in mid-June in Seattle. Analysts expect a launch in the European Union towards the end of this year.
UBS analyst Andrew Goodsall said expectation of the US clinics is that the "sleek design and features'' of Cochlear's new product will appeal to the market and is likely to result in market share gains.

Cochlear shares were up 94 cents, or 1.7 per cent, at $55.54 in late morning trade.
Mr Goodsall said he believed that Cochlear would seek FDA approval via the "510K like" path, which required the company to substantiate equivalence with an existing approved product.
"In this case the new implant is expected to essentially be a thinner/smaller version of the N24 implant. "We understand that Cochlear has submitted appropriate data and a decision is pending,'' he said. "Previous channel checks found the industry universally impressed with Cochlear's new feature-packed product suite. "New implant, being materially thinner, it is likely to be implanted without/less skull `excavation', which will appeal to surgeons. New processor, regarded as revolutionary in small design, high-tech features and software flexibility - all of which should strongly appeal to patients and clinicians.''

The processor that sits inside the bionic ear implant is also expected to be much sought after by customers as it has a range of new features such as requiring fewer batteries, a metal housing and fittings that will improve durability and a remote control that can operate two processors (bilaterals) and also serves as a link to external devices such as an iPods.

Cochlear recently reported a 22 per cent rise in profit to $69.94 million for the first half, and issued earnings guidance for 2009 profit to rise between 15 and 20 per cent. Unit sales contribute about 66 per cent of Cochlear's total earnings.

The 'test' results

So the 'test' we used is the Integrated Scales of Development Checklist for Listening, Receptive and Expressive Language. It is put out by Cochlear Co. I think there is another area for us still to evaluate, but this is what we have so far...

Her current results are:

Listening she is a solid 13-15 months with emerging skills at the 16-18 month range.

Receptive is the same

Expressive is about 10-12 months with emerging skills at the 13-15 month range. (Thank God for ASL because sign counts!) Her oral expressive is right on track, in my humble opinion, for someone who has only had access to speech for about 5 months. Only those who live with her can really understand her expressive approximations. For example: Outside is 'ow, eye', Da Da is "aa, aa", More is 'muh', Bye-bye is still "eye, eye". The two words that are pretty darn clear are "Hi" and "mouth" (she says "mouf" - but the 'f' doesn't always show up. :-))

Like I said before, I couldn't be happier with how well she is doing in only 5 months! I think she understands a lot, and it is so cool to see that she is benefiting from the CI. I am happy that we did choose to give her this opportunity. It helps that she really wants to learn to listen and speak. She watches our mouth like a hawk!! One if my favorites is when we sing and sign the ABC song, she appears to move her lips with ours and her fingers are trying to do the signs! I have to get that on video!!!

Well, I am dog tired and I have another full day tomorrow. So I am signing off for now! Good night, all!

So much!

I have to say, Mikaela is doing very well these days. Thank God.

We did have a scare on the 17th of May, though. She woke up not happy. I assumed teething, but she was miserable. I put her in bed early for a rest - didn't think she'd nap because it was before lunch, but thought she could just use some quiet time. Around 11 a.m. she was making noises that I knew I should go up. She was pastey white, sweaty and clammy. She had absolutely no color in her lips or face. I picked her up and thought maybe she caught a virus. About a minute and a half later, she puked all over us. Lovely! I ran in the bathroom and managed to get the next wave or two in the appropriate location!

Kurt came up and cleaned up. I got us both changed and went downstairs to the couch armed with the basin and some cloths and tissues. She continued to throw up and by 1 p.m. it had the all-to-familiar green tinge to it. I called my step-mom and asked if she could cover Juliana as we were heading back over to CHoP for another bowel obstruction. I was a complete mess! Because I knew what was in store for her....surgery.....AGAIN....(I was also very bummed to miss the picnic for our South Jersey Family Fun Group!) You have to see how badly this affects her. She is completely colorless, listless, weak. So weak in fact that I have to hold her head up as she vomits. It's scary!

She continued to vomit until we got to CHoP around 4:45 p.m. Still green. Then all of a sudden, she turned a corner. She began to sit on her own. Point to things and play with my necklace. Hmm....this was different. Well, she went through the gambit. IV, NG tube, blood work, CT scan, contrast X-ray. We got admitted to the surgical floor, yet they saw no blockage on the scans. Interestingly enough, she was much more alert than in the times past. This was both good and bad. Good because maybe there wasn't a blockage....Bad because she CARED that they were poking, prodding, sticking her every so often! The NG tube wasn't bringing up anything of consequence. The scans were clean....She didn't need surgery after all! The doctors can't say what would cause the green vomit - other than a blockage. So, I believe that we got a miracle. There must have been a blockage, but it must have untwisted itself. I believe that all the prayers were heard and answered. Again, thank God!

So physically, Mikaela is beginning to get much more confident! She is cruising like a pro. Gets up and lowers herself with much more ease and stability. She can crawl super fast now. She walks pretty well with a push toy, but not looking like walking on her own for a while longer. I really wish she could walk because she is getting so heavy for me to carry. We are both gaining weight at a nice pace and my back is paying the price! Her core strength is getting better and all the PT is showing it's effect.

Listening wise, she is doing amazingly! Her TOD and I did a 'test' with documentation that would let us know where she is compared to a 'typical' hearing child and she surprised me! She is comprehending solidly at a 12-14 month level (I think). Oral expressive language is maybe 9 months or so. Once I get a copy of the results, I'll post a correction.

She does really well with signing though! She is beginning to string two signs together!! Like 'more, o'. For 'more cheerios'. Or more and please! It's so awesome and something I just took for granted with Justin and Juliana.

Each week I see so many new accomplishments that I am thrilled with her progress. She seems so much happier and her pediatrician thinks she 'engages' more than a typical 18 month old. She wants to play with you, not just alongside you. My thought is: all that therapy is why!

I can't believe it's June already and in only 3 months, we'll be adding another blessing to our family! I couldn't really be happier!

April's progress continued

Like I was saying.... :-)

I am very pleased with her progress! She's been able to hear speech for less than 4 months. Remember she doesn't have access to speech all the time either! She sometimes takes off the processor in the car. Sometimes she takes it off during play (but that is very short lived - I'm right there popping it back on!). However, with the amount of time she is able to actively listen, she is doing awesome.


Her receptive language is growing in leaps and bounds. She points at everything and wants to know what it all is. Expressive will take some time. I am just thrilled that she is moving through the 'typical' phases of listening and ultimately speaking.

Her first word that is really close is mouth. She says "mouf" and it is so darn cute!! Everything else she says is an approximation....Like Meow is still "Mou". But she is really doing well imitating as best she can!

Physically she is getter stronger and more confident each week. We just got her the traditional white shoe that comes up the ankle a bit for additional stabilization to aid in her walking. They aren't the hard sole that Justin wore (as did most of us), but a really nice cushy sole....like a sneaker. I love them! She is beginning to bounce by bending her knees more. We also got one of those toddler trampolines for inside and Juliana loves it! Mikaela is getting used to it, but likes to sit and play with her toys on it rather than exercise! Her PT gave us ankle weights for her to wear 5 minutes each day. They are 1/2 pound each and will strenthen her legs (obviously!) I was really forgetful last week and will do much better this week!

My plan is to post shorter and more often! Talk with you soon!

The consonants are coming!!! The consonants are coming!!!

Mikaela continues to thrill us each day! She really has quite the sense of humor and loves to make us laugh!

So much progress is happening all around. Let's start with hearing/speech. She is really aware of sounds now. She has begun to apply meaning to the sounds she is hearing and has quite of list of words she recognizes orally only. That amazes me! (I will be adding a list on the blog page soon.)

What is thrilling me the most is when she babbles! After being activated around 3 months, she began to make sounds she has never made before! She is beginning to make sounds like typical hearing babies make! It is such a thrill since for so long, the only sounds she made was "AH", and "NG". To hear her babble is nothing I take for granted..... She added vowels like "eeee", O (long and short) U (short only). She added consonants as well!! She has P, B, F, and M. She has been saying: up, woof (sounds like uff), ow, (as in meow), ab, (we aren't sure what that is to her, but she uses it a lot!) mamamama, and her favorite ...Uh-Oh. This has been status quo for several weeks now. She kinda stalled here. Since her last mapping, she has actually has dropped some consonants. She has gone back to "uh, uh, uh" for up, up, up. She dropped the F for a while at the end of woof, woof, but it has come back this week. It makes me wonder if there is something up with this last mapping. Or is she developing other areas and pressing pause on the original gains? I know typical kids do this sometimes.

Darn, I hear Mikaela waking up from naptime...so, I suppose I'll write more soon! It won't be so long....I promise!

Right Decision

For those of you who know how much I agonized over the choice of giving Mikaela a CI or raising her culturally Deaf, it was not a pleasant time. I never want Mikaela to feel as if I don't honor her deafness. I do. Ultimately what lead to the decision to implant, for us, was we want her to have all options open to her. Hopefully, the majority of the Deaf community will welcome her anyway. It is my understanding, for example, at this time at Galludet, that close to 50% of students do have a CI. So maybe they are accepted or maybe there is a community within a community.

Anyway, at this time, I feel we made the right choice for Mikaela and our family. Every morning and after nap time, when I put her processor on, she lights up. HUGE smile and a little wiggle/dance thing! She really seems to enjoy listening and wants to be engaged in everything around her. She is much more vocal when wearing than not. Like I said in the previous post her receptive and expressive is really amazing for only be activated two months. I wasn't expecting much for the first 4 months or so, but I am thrilled to see her comprehend more each week.

She loves to laugh when she hears us laugh. She imitates so many things we say it cracks me up. Of course, she only imitates duration at this time, but if you are paying attention, she does it for a lot of what I say!!

Her newest sound is 'o'. She often says Uh, Oh when she throws her water off her high chair - or anything for that matter. She also says Oww, like in meow when we see the cat. So those are completely new for her. With her hearing aids, she only had Ah and MMM, or more like NNNG for sounds.

She turns to her name pretty consistently now. She loves to listen to her sister sing and do silly faces with funny noises. It amazes me to see her play with toys that make noise. She loves the refrigerator phonics that we had for Juliana. She plays the ABC song and starts to dance! She has a baby that plays lullabies and she likes it now. Before it as just a plain baby that she would throw to the side. She is beginning to turn to Daddy when he talks, Juliana when she talks and me when I talk. So she may be beginning to have some discrimination.

Most importantly, SHE loves to hear. She loves to be a part of every conversation and her total environment. I am finally convinced that we made the right decision for Mikaela. It is quite a joyous relief!!!