RE: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

March 31, 2004

It actually does matter because each hearing aid is tuned for the specific

frequencies that it needs amplified. Unless the loss is exactly equal,

which it usually isn't, it does matter tremendously

Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

> --- You wrote:

> I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything about it to

me

> but I will ask and see.

> --- end of quote ---

>

> It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different losses....

>

> *******************************

>

> Barbara Mellert

> Manager, Social Science Computing

> Kiewit Computing Services

> Dartmouth College

> 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> Hanover NH 03755

> Telephone: 603/646-2877

> URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post

is the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to

copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

It actually does matter because each hearing aid is tuned for the specific

frequencies that it needs amplified. Unless the loss is exactly equal,

which it usually isn't, it does matter tremendously

Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

> --- You wrote:

> I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything about it to

me

> but I will ask and see.

> --- end of quote ---

>

> It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different losses....

>

> *******************************

>

> Barbara Mellert

> Manager, Social Science Computing

> Kiewit Computing Services

> Dartmouth College

> 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> Hanover NH 03755

> Telephone: 603/646-2877

> URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post

is the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to

copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

It actually does matter because each hearing aid is tuned for the specific

frequencies that it needs amplified. Unless the loss is exactly equal,

which it usually isn't, it does matter tremendously

Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

> --- You wrote:

> I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything about it to

me

> but I will ask and see.

> --- end of quote ---

>

> It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different losses....

>

> *******************************

>

> Barbara Mellert

> Manager, Social Science Computing

> Kiewit Computing Services

> Dartmouth College

> 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> Hanover NH 03755

> Telephone: 603/646-2877

> URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post

is the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to

copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

No, the volume isn't all that matters. Internal adjustments have been made

for the specific amplification each frequency needs in an ear. If you are

using the other hearing aid, you are amplifying the wrong frequencies in

each ear and not achieving optimal hearing which is critical for speech

development. You can also be overamplifying frequencies and damaging

hearing. I can't believe audiologists just hand out aids without telling

parents this.

Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> --- You wrote:

> I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything about it to

me

> but I will ask and see.

> --- end of quote ---

>

> It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different losses....

>

> *******************************

>

> Barbara Mellert

> Manager, Social Science Computing

> Kiewit Computing Services

> Dartmouth College

> 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> Hanover NH 03755

> Telephone: 603/646-2877

> URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post

is

> the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to copyright

> restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

Yes, and in our case, my son's loss is different in the left and right ears.

We have actually switched the aids by mistake in the past, only to wonder

why things were going so badly for awhile. Boy did I look silly when we

would go into the audi's for a check.

Anyway, I'm still peeved at Phonak, but now that I'm home from work for the

day, I will start my phone call campaign up again.

Rrrrr!

Thanks to all for their suggestions.

Daphne

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> No, the volume isn't all that matters. Internal adjustments have

> been made

> for the specific amplification each frequency needs in an ear. If you are

> using the other hearing aid, you are amplifying the wrong frequencies in

> each ear and not achieving optimal hearing which is critical for speech

> development. You can also be overamplifying frequencies and damaging

> hearing. I can't believe audiologists just hand out aids without telling

> parents this.

>

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

> >

> > --- You wrote:

> > I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> > ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything

> about it to

> me

> > but I will ask and see.

> > --- end of quote ---

> >

> > It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different

> losses....

> >

> > *******************************

> >

> > Barbara Mellert

> > Manager, Social Science Computing

> > Kiewit Computing Services

> > Dartmouth College

> > 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> > Hanover NH 03755

> > Telephone: 603/646-2877

> > URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

> >

> > All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post

> is

> > the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject

> to copyright

> > restrictions.

> >

March 31, 2004

Yes, and in our case, my son's loss is different in the left and right ears.

We have actually switched the aids by mistake in the past, only to wonder

why things were going so badly for awhile. Boy did I look silly when we

would go into the audi's for a check.

Anyway, I'm still peeved at Phonak, but now that I'm home from work for the

day, I will start my phone call campaign up again.

Rrrrr!

Thanks to all for their suggestions.

Daphne

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> No, the volume isn't all that matters. Internal adjustments have

> been made

> for the specific amplification each frequency needs in an ear. If you are

> using the other hearing aid, you are amplifying the wrong frequencies in

> each ear and not achieving optimal hearing which is critical for speech

> development. You can also be overamplifying frequencies and damaging

> hearing. I can't believe audiologists just hand out aids without telling

> parents this.

>

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

> >

> > --- You wrote:

> > I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> > ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything

> about it to

> me

> > but I will ask and see.

> > --- end of quote ---

> >

> > It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different

> losses....

> >

> > *******************************

> >

> > Barbara Mellert

> > Manager, Social Science Computing

> > Kiewit Computing Services

> > Dartmouth College

> > 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> > Hanover NH 03755

> > Telephone: 603/646-2877

> > URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

> >

> > All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post

> is

> > the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject

> to copyright

> > restrictions.

> >

March 31, 2004

Yes, and in our case, my son's loss is different in the left and right ears.

We have actually switched the aids by mistake in the past, only to wonder

why things were going so badly for awhile. Boy did I look silly when we

would go into the audi's for a check.

Anyway, I'm still peeved at Phonak, but now that I'm home from work for the

day, I will start my phone call campaign up again.

Rrrrr!

Thanks to all for their suggestions.

Daphne

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> No, the volume isn't all that matters. Internal adjustments have

> been made

> for the specific amplification each frequency needs in an ear. If you are

> using the other hearing aid, you are amplifying the wrong frequencies in

> each ear and not achieving optimal hearing which is critical for speech

> development. You can also be overamplifying frequencies and damaging

> hearing. I can't believe audiologists just hand out aids without telling

> parents this.

>

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

> >

> > --- You wrote:

> > I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> > ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything

> about it to

> me

> > but I will ask and see.

> > --- end of quote ---

> >

> > It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different

> losses....

> >

> > *******************************

> >

> > Barbara Mellert

> > Manager, Social Science Computing

> > Kiewit Computing Services

> > Dartmouth College

> > 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> > Hanover NH 03755

> > Telephone: 603/646-2877

> > URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

> >

> > All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post

> is

> > the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject

> to copyright

> > restrictions.

> >

March 31, 2004

I think an overlooked issue is that the hearing aids sent by the

manufacturer were probably in an un-programmed, default state; especially

true for the " new " HA. I really doubt that the repair facility will

reprogram the new HA according to the old one. In fact, I am surprised that

the manufacturer would have agreed to send programmable HAs directly to an

end user.

Now, if the HAs are basic and have no programming ability, then it shouldn't

matter which is used on a particular side.

Am I missing something?

Otter

Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

It actually does matter because each hearing aid is tuned for the specific

frequencies that it needs amplified. Unless the loss is exactly equal,

which it usually isn't, it does matter tremendously

Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

> --- You wrote:

> I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

> ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything about it to

me

> but I will ask and see.

> --- end of quote ---

>

> It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different losses....

>

> *******************************

>

> Barbara Mellert

> Manager, Social Science Computing

> Kiewit Computing Services

> Dartmouth College

> 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> Hanover NH 03755

> Telephone: 603/646-2877

> URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post

is the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to

copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

I heard back from my audi friend and she said:

" There is no official standard. I've generally used the lower serial number

on the left ear.

I've talked to various audiologists about this and there does not seem to be

a general

rule....many just label the left aid on the first hearing aid they pick up

out of the box. "

I think they use the lower serial # instead of odd and even because the

hearing aids wont always be in order, so they may both be odd or even.

Hope this helps,

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

Get tax tips, tools and access to IRS forms – all in one place at MSN Money!

http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/home.asp

March 31, 2004

I heard back from my audi friend and she said:

" There is no official standard. I've generally used the lower serial number

on the left ear.

I've talked to various audiologists about this and there does not seem to be

a general

rule....many just label the left aid on the first hearing aid they pick up

out of the box. "

I think they use the lower serial # instead of odd and even because the

hearing aids wont always be in order, so they may both be odd or even.

Hope this helps,

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

Get tax tips, tools and access to IRS forms – all in one place at MSN Money!

http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/home.asp

March 31, 2004

I heard back from my audi friend and she said:

" There is no official standard. I've generally used the lower serial number

on the left ear.

I've talked to various audiologists about this and there does not seem to be

a general

rule....many just label the left aid on the first hearing aid they pick up

out of the box. "

I think they use the lower serial # instead of odd and even because the

hearing aids wont always be in order, so they may both be odd or even.

Hope this helps,

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

Get tax tips, tools and access to IRS forms – all in one place at MSN Money!

http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/home.asp

March 31, 2004

,

Our HAs always have the orignal program saved at the facility & reprogrammed

before sending them back to us.

And our Audi has always had our hearing aids sent directly to us. Earmolds

too. It's not as if I have to program them. She knows we know what we're

doing so doesn't have a problem with that.

So, a CRAZY end of story: I finally got a nice Phonak rep to help me. She

told me which old serial number matched which new one. (When Phonak does a

major refurbish they issue new serial numbers). But she said her records

didn't show a LEFT or RIGHT desgnation at all.

We finally got back to the last audi who had sent out our aids (we actually

have 2 dispensing audis), and she told me what the old serial numbers were

and I could tell which was which.

Yay! But the story continues...

Then I tested the aids. And guess what I found??? That somewhere along the

line someone switched them. My son's right ear is worse than his left so his

right HA is always louder than the left.

According to the serial numbers our audies had, they had the HAs REVERSED.

ARGH!

Anyway, I reversed them, got them on my son, and he gave me a HUGE smile. He

was happy to have his digital aids back.

Daphne

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> It actually does matter because each hearing aid is tuned for the specific

> frequencies that it needs amplified. Unless the loss is exactly equal,

> which it usually isn't, it does matter tremendously

>

> Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> > --- You wrote:

> > I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as

> the right

> > ear mold is in the correct ear. They have never said anything

> about it to

> me

> > but I will ask and see.

> > --- end of quote ---

> >

> > It does matter if the left ear and the right ear have different

> losses....

> >

> > *******************************

> >

> > Barbara Mellert

> > Manager, Social Science Computing

> > Kiewit Computing Services

> > Dartmouth College

> > 13A Silsby Hall; HB 6121

> > Hanover NH 03755

> > Telephone: 603/646-2877

> > URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc

> >

> > All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post

> is the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to

> copyright restrictions.

> >

March 31, 2004

Thanks Colin. I appreciate you taking the time to check. Going back over our

old records yesterday I found in our case that there's no correlation

either.

But thanks for checking!

-Daphne

> RE: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> I heard back from my audi friend and she said:

>

> " There is no official standard. I've generally used the lower

> serial number

> on the left ear.

> I've talked to various audiologists about this and there does not

> seem to be

> a general

> rule....many just label the left aid on the first hearing aid they pick up

> out of the box. "

>

> I think they use the lower serial # instead of odd and even because the

> hearing aids wont always be in order, so they may both be odd or even.

>

> Hope this helps,

> Colin

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Get tax tips, tools and access to IRS forms – all in one place at

> MSN Money!

> http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/home.asp

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post is the intellectual property of the author and

> therefore subject to copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

Thanks Colin. I appreciate you taking the time to check. Going back over our

old records yesterday I found in our case that there's no correlation

either.

But thanks for checking!

-Daphne

> RE: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> I heard back from my audi friend and she said:

>

> " There is no official standard. I've generally used the lower

> serial number

> on the left ear.

> I've talked to various audiologists about this and there does not

> seem to be

> a general

> rule....many just label the left aid on the first hearing aid they pick up

> out of the box. "

>

> I think they use the lower serial # instead of odd and even because the

> hearing aids wont always be in order, so they may both be odd or even.

>

> Hope this helps,

> Colin

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Get tax tips, tools and access to IRS forms – all in one place at

> MSN Money!

> http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/home.asp

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post is the intellectual property of the author and

> therefore subject to copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

Thanks Colin. I appreciate you taking the time to check. Going back over our

old records yesterday I found in our case that there's no correlation

either.

But thanks for checking!

-Daphne

> RE: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> I heard back from my audi friend and she said:

>

> " There is no official standard. I've generally used the lower

> serial number

> on the left ear.

> I've talked to various audiologists about this and there does not

> seem to be

> a general

> rule....many just label the left aid on the first hearing aid they pick up

> out of the box. "

>

> I think they use the lower serial # instead of odd and even because the

> hearing aids wont always be in order, so they may both be odd or even.

>

> Hope this helps,

> Colin

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Get tax tips, tools and access to IRS forms – all in one place at

> MSN Money!

> http://moneycentral.msn.com/tax/home.asp

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post is the intellectual property of the author and

> therefore subject to copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

Hi Daphne--

Glad to hear that everything worked out ok in the end. What a project!

We happened to have an appt at the audi today and I asked her about your

problem. The one suggestion that she made that has not been posted yet is to

contact the insurance company if you have purchased ESCO for them. They would

have the correct serial numbers in their files.

At least by sharing this with us, you may save us the hassle of going through

the same problem! I've filed these tidbits away, just in case....

Kerry

March 31, 2004

Hi Daphne--

Glad to hear that everything worked out ok in the end. What a project!

We happened to have an appt at the audi today and I asked her about your

problem. The one suggestion that she made that has not been posted yet is to

contact the insurance company if you have purchased ESCO for them. They would

have the correct serial numbers in their files.

At least by sharing this with us, you may save us the hassle of going through

the same problem! I've filed these tidbits away, just in case....

Kerry

March 31, 2004

Hi Daphne--

Glad to hear that everything worked out ok in the end. What a project!

We happened to have an appt at the audi today and I asked her about your

problem. The one suggestion that she made that has not been posted yet is to

contact the insurance company if you have purchased ESCO for them. They would

have the correct serial numbers in their files.

At least by sharing this with us, you may save us the hassle of going through

the same problem! I've filed these tidbits away, just in case....

Kerry

March 31, 2004

Sometimes manufacturers are able to recover old programs if the hearing aids

were damaged - other times they will save the existing programs and put them

back on after servicing.

It does sound unusual for them to send the aids to the user - I think in

this case they were sent in for regular servicing or is that someone else?

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

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March 31, 2004

Sometimes manufacturers are able to recover old programs if the hearing aids

were damaged - other times they will save the existing programs and put them

back on after servicing.

It does sound unusual for them to send the aids to the user - I think in

this case they were sent in for regular servicing or is that someone else?

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page – FREE

download! http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/

March 31, 2004

Sometimes manufacturers are able to recover old programs if the hearing aids

were damaged - other times they will save the existing programs and put them

back on after servicing.

It does sound unusual for them to send the aids to the user - I think in

this case they were sent in for regular servicing or is that someone else?

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page – FREE

download! http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/

March 31, 2004

We sent in the hearing aids because the switches failed, and because yet

again the Claro FM boot was not fitting properly. There was a note that came

back with the HAs that said they had read the programs off the aids and

saved them, then replaced them before sending them back.

I believe it *is* unusual for companies to send HAs or molds back to the

user. We are grateful to the audi who trusts us enough to do so. It makes my

life so much easier and turnaround to get new molds, etc. is much faster.

By the way, we have two dispensing audis (and yet another for extra testing

& expert consultation). One of them will send stuff to our home and the

other one won't.

One factor I feel is related: the audiologist who *won't* send things home

owns her own practice. She's able to charge for the things we do in her

office. We go through her for anything FM, and she charges the school

department.

The audi who *will* send things to our home works for a hospital and is

salaried. It doesn't make any difference to her personal bottom line if we

come in or not.

Daphne

p.s. now that I'm writing this, it occurs to me that PHONAK could have been

the ones who reversed the programs when they downloaded them back to the

aids. That would explain why has had normal hearing & HA checks for

several months. Who knows...

> RE: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>

> Sometimes manufacturers are able to recover old programs if the

> hearing aids

> were damaged - other times they will save the existing programs

> and put them

> back on after servicing.

> It does sound unusual for them to send the aids to the user - I think in

> this case they were sent in for regular servicing or is that

> someone else?

>

> Colin

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page – FREE

> download! http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/

>

> All messages posted to this list are private and confidential.

> Each post is the intellectual property of the author and

> therefore subject to copyright restrictions.

>

March 31, 2004

I asked our audiologist about it, she said on my sons it doesn't matter

because his is the same loss in both ears but on others it may matter. She

said that if it matters most people will put a mark on them to tell the

difference.

-- Re: hearing aid serial numbers-- left vs right??

>>I don't think it really matters which aid is which, as long as the right

ear mold is in the correct ear "

This would be the case as long as the hearing loss is symmetrical - if it is

not then each hearing aid is designed for a specific ear.

Colin

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