Rechargeable batteries

In July 2007 we discovered from other parents that there were rechargeable batteries available.... just not in Norway.
We did find them in Holland and ordered them. We have been using them since they arrived, about january.

The way we do it:
Lotte can use them the whole day. When she goes to sleep, we start recharging the batteries and when we go to bed, 4-5 hours later, they are mostly recharged.
So, we put them back in the processor, ready to be used the following day.

No more counting days. ("was it 3 days ago we put in new ones, or 2 ???")

Currently, may 2008, 1 of the rechargeable batteries is not working properly and is sent to the distributor to be checked. Fortunately, we just change back to the old ones...

Reference - more info: Cochlear Freedom Battery Model: z60839

BTE or Bodyworn...??

This will allways be a question when the child starts with CI, and even more so when the child has bilateral CI.

When Lotte was one of the first to be implanted bilaterally, the Freedom had just been developed and even though she got "Freedom" on the inside, the outside was the old Nucleus. So the only bodyworns available to us (Lotte) were the "big" cases, and two of them would have been massive.

(I believe the one on the right is the bodyworn at the time....)

So, the Ci-team proposed to use the BTE's, but after picking them up 15 times an hour (per ear...), we decided that on the ear would not work. 2 coils and 2 BTE's that can loosen and fall off is too much to handle....

(Also, Lotte allways pulled off the HA's and we were not looking forward to a similar behaviour with the CI's'. In retrospect, she has never taken off the CI's. We have been fortunate with that..)

Being the engineer in the family, I clipped off the fingers of an old wollen glove, put the BTE's in the fingers, a safetypin through it and pinned them on the shoulders of Lotte...

That worked fine, without too much falling off of the coils. Plus, no need to hang the BTE on the ear.... That is allways secured (and can allways be found..)

We tried a couple of time times to put it behind the ear, but the combination of earsize and BTE-size is not compatible. Doublesided tape etc. could work, but Lotte really disliked that solution. After all, she is used to the ears on the shoulder, so why bother?

To give an impression of the difference, here are two pictures. One with the bodyworn, one with the BTE's on the shoulder..

....... vs .......

Coil+Earhanger+Bodyworn ....... vs ....... Coil+BTE (click to enlarge)

So, for the last 2-1/2 years she has worn them on her shoulders and without any problems. This includes playing outside in the sand 50% of the time when she's at the kindergarten, and the BTE never failed and was never lost. Also, the staff there can just put the coil on when Lotte for some reason cannot do it herself or simply forgets (in the beginning she would just not bother. Nowaday, she immediately puts them on..). There's no hastle with tape, glue, ear-hangers that go in the ear or caps.

As mentioned, the only thing that can fall off is the coil-piece, but soon she figured out how to put that back. Actually, that is a small disadvantage. By putting them back herself, she is putting some tension on the coil-cable, but the are pretty strong.

Remember, there's nothing on her ear, nothing in the ear, nothing on the head, except for the coil. The BTE's are safe on her shoulders.

We were worried about the BTE's under the coat for example (scratching sounds), but she has no problems with hearing when they are under the coat. Guess the coat id holding the BTE's steady so there is no scratching.)

Advantages:

* You will never loose the BTE. It's secured,

* Only the coil can fall off. The child can put it back her/him-self,

* Much lighter than the bodyworn,

* Still accessable (sp?) for the parent to change programs,

* BTE's are spaced out wider than the ears, so (I think) perception where sound comes from is better,

* We use a safetypin to attach it to the clothes so it can easily be changed from one piece to another,

* No need to buy/make special pockets in clothing, just 2 little bags with safetypins,

* When raining the BTE's will be under the clothes. (and as said, she'll still hear without problems), when there's much wind, it will also be protected from that, not causing weird sounds,

* ...... I'll think of some more - to be added later
* ...... You'll think of some more - Put it in a comment, and I'll add it.

Disadvantages:

* Possibly: Sound has to be picked up from the shoulders, (but that does not seem to affect her hearing capability. She hears a pin drop on the table... literally!),

* Possibly: Scratching sound when a coat is worn over the BTE's but we have not seen any problems,

* Cannot use rechargable batteries,

WRONG! - got info (See comments) that they are available.... only in Canada and USA??? Not here, but we will be working on it !!

* There's strain on the coil-wire when the child puts it back her/him-self, (but in the last 2-1/2 year only 1 failed.),

* There will be holes in the clothes when the fabric is thin, (but how long do these cloths last anyway..),

* ...... I'll think of some more - to be added later* Possibly: Localising sound after hearing it, initially cannot be done by turning head. The shoulders would need to turn. But like with us, we allready know where it comes from when we turn our head...

* ...... You'll think of some more - Put it in a comment, and I'll add it.

Do want to mention, that recently we started to use the BTE on the ear.

We have a feeling, call it a hunch, that Lotte wouldn't like to have the BTE's pinned on her bare skin, so at bedtime, straight out of the bath-tub or from the shower, we put the coils with the short wires on the BTE and hang them on the ears. She's OK with that but still prefers to wear them on the shoulders. But she needs to get used to it anyway.

New batteries!!

Funny thing today, showing how in one way CI is part of life, in another, how we are focused on keeping her hearing....

Lotte came to us and said "new batteries" so we went straight for the batteries for her CI....
I asked her, "which ear", and she showed me ..... her toy..... !!!

Normally we change out the batteries on both BTE's at the same time (once every 3 to 4 days) but last time we forgot to put the used ones away before opening the new packet. There we were. Two times 3 batteries, and we forgot which one were new... (Tested the voltage... all 1.5V, tested the amps, all 0 mA)
Needless to say, they got mixed up on one of the BTE's.
Therefore, a "lack of power" was anticipated. (Hence, me asking what ear was not working.... just to make sure.)

Self-help.... with CI....

When Lotte started with her CI, it was obvious that even though she liked wearing them, putting them on was not a necessity. She could be walking around without sound, not being bothered about the silence. After all, it's part of her life....

Gradually, she became more aware of this, and she would be quick to put them on..
(I recall an episode where she had a tantrum, let herself fall on the floor, crying, and when the CI came off, she made sure it was put on again.... I guess part of crying is hearing yourself...) But she could still go around a while with dead batteries without telling us. We use to normally change them every 3 days. But it seemed that if the sound was gone, and the coils were still there.... Ah, well, she just continued in silence....

About a month ago the next phase started. She notices when the batteries are dead. She'll alert us, and we will change them. Not long after that, she showed that she couldn't wait for us... ....
I was sitting at the table, and Lotte indicated that the "ears" didn't work. I wanted to check the display, and told her to come to me. First with my voice - she refused..., then voice and sign, but she had still no intention of coming to me. She wanted to go upstairs and get the batteries herself.... No time to loose!!!

I love to see her enjoying the CI, enjoying the sounds around her. And I also enjoy how she is perfectly comfortable without the sound. Sure, during the day, she wants to hear and will insist on new batteries. There's too much to miss I guess.
But when we take her to bed, take off the CI (pinned to her cloths on her shoulder..) she continues as if nothing happened.
And I guess she's lucky that she has absolutely no negative experience with putting them on either. She just does it and is up and running...