Guest guest Posted May 13, 1999 Report Share Posted May 13, 1999 Hi everyone. I just talked to a new audiologist today, and I have a question for all of you regarding hearing aids. My son, , is deaf. He cannot hear at 90 decibels. They are suggesting that we still fit him for hearing aids because he might be able to hear vowel sounds. When I asked them how this would benefit him they told me only for helping him to lip read. I wonder if will be able to see lip reading since his colobomas have left him blind in the left eye and limited vision in his right. Well, here is my questions relating to this. If Nick is going to us sign language as his form of communication, is it worth getting the aids? He has a deformed ear, which they tell me is going to be really hard to fit him. I know there are all kinds of adaptations we can use, but it is still going to be hard. Would it be better to wait until he is older, or is now the time (he is almost 6 months now)? My husband and I feel like the ENT doctor wants hearing no matter what, but the deaf community seems to feel there is no need. Another dilemma! Thanks for your input.....we don't know what to do. Steffi - Mom to CHaRGE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 1999 Report Share Posted May 13, 1999 Steffi, This is a really tough question. Audiologists in general will push hearing aids no matter how much hearing there is. We have been able to get one to admit, however, that there comes a time when you need to decide if they are worth it. Since refused to keep them in, and we did not have the energy to fight him on them, for a long time we just didn't have him wear them, unless we were out and thought we might run into his audiologist (we live in a fairly small town). The school has been able to train him to wear them while at school, but when he gets home they come right off. I wear two myself, and I can appreicate his wish to not wear them while he is home and not at school. They can be noisy. and I do not have a sense of how much they help him. In spite of his coloboma he uses his vision very well, and his glasses clearly make a difference. I hope that someday he can let us know if he wants to wear hearing aids or not. In the meantime, since the school people generally feel he is getting some benefit from them, we'll continue to work with them. I guess for me the bottom line is I don't want to keep him from something that may benefit him, but I also don't want to keep pushing something he would rather avoid. Tough situation when he can't tell us. Tim Hartshorne (father of ) SteffiJill@... wrote: > From: SteffiJill@... > > Hi everyone. > > I just talked to a new audiologist today, and I have a question for > all of > you regarding hearing aids. My son, , is deaf. He cannot > hear at 90 > decibels. They are suggesting that we still fit him for hearing aids > because > he might be able to hear vowel sounds. When I asked them how this > would > benefit him they told me only for helping him to lip read. I wonder > if > will be able to see lip reading since his colobomas have left > him > blind in the left eye and limited vision in his right. Well, here is > my > questions relating to this. If Nick is going to us sign language as > his form > of communication, is it worth getting the aids? He has a deformed > ear, which > they tell me is going to be really hard to fit him. I know there are > all > kinds of adaptations we can use, but it is still going to be hard. > Would it > be better to wait until he is older, or is now the time (he is almost > 6 > months now)? My husband and I feel like the ENT doctor wants hearing > no > matter what, but the deaf community seems to feel there is no need. > Another > dilemma! Thanks for your input.....we don't know what to do. > > Steffi - Mom to CHaRGE > > ------------------------------- > ---------------------------------------- > Got an opinion? > http://www.onelist.com > Make it count! Sign up for the ONElist Weekly Survey now. > ---------------------------------------------------------- > ------------- > 4th International CHARGE Syndrome Conference, Houston, Texas, July > 23-25, 1999. > For information about the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation or to become a > member please contact marion@.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 1999 Report Share Posted May 18, 1999 SteffiJill@... wrote: > > From: SteffiJill@... > > Hi everyone. > > I just talked to a new audiologist today, and I have a question for all of > you regarding hearing aids. My son, , is deaf. He cannot hear at 90 > decibels. They are suggesting that we still fit him for hearing aids because > he might be able to hear vowel sounds. When I asked them how this would > benefit him they told me only for helping him to lip read. I wonder if > will be able to see lip reading since his colobomas have left him > blind in the left eye and limited vision in his right. Well, here is my > questions relating to this. If Nick is going to us sign language as his form > of communication, is it worth getting the aids? He has a deformed ear, which > they tell me is going to be really hard to fit him. I know there are all > kinds of adaptations we can use, but it is still going to be hard. Would it > be better to wait until he is older, or is now the time (he is almost 6 > months now)? My husband and I feel like the ENT doctor wants hearing no > matter what, but the deaf community seems to feel there is no need. Another > dilemma! Thanks for your input.....we don't know what to do. > > Steffi - Mom to CHaRGE > Steffi, I think it's only fair to give a good chance with the aids. You never know, he may aid really well and get more out of speech then others. Jeanie Colp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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