| Subject: Re: Deaf Autistic with cochlear implant |
Author:
Mellisa
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Date Posted: 14:29:34 02/08/06 Wed
Author Host/IP: ool-4577689b.dyn.optonline.net/69.119.104.155
In reply to:
rick
's message, "Deaf Autistic with cochlear implant" on 13:10:43 08/11/05 Thu
>My son was diagnosed as deaf at the age of 2 1/2. It
>was a complete suprise to us and to two speach
>therapists that were working with him at the time. We
>are certain he coluld hear at the age of two and wde
>are not sure waht caused the loss of hearing since he
>has a complicated medical history. We had noticed
>some odd behaviors, but noone had given us any
>indiaction of what was behind it.
>
>We opted for a cochlear implant. When his implant was
>activated for the first time he reacted violently to
>the new sound input and refused to go anywhere near
>the device.
>
>As he entered a preschool, his teachers suggested we
>have him tested. We found that he is autistic. No
>wonder he rejected the implant.
>
>We met with a speech therapist that specializes in
>cochlear implants with special needs, especially
>autism. We worked to get him to wear the implant with
>no power and then very gradually increased the
>'volume'.
>
>Once we activated the implant we saw imediate behavior
>improvement. Small improvement, but improvement. As
>the private speech therapy and the preschool, K and
>1st grade teachers ahve worked with him (signing,
>beahvior modification, speech etc), he has made great
>strides. We are now at 100% 'volume' and his hearing
>(speech recognition) is improving daily and he he
>starting to speak.
>
>We just completed implant surgery in his other ear.
>We had noticed that he made attempts to 'block out'
>sound input from his non implanted ear. Our speech
>therapist and doctor felt that the little sound (130
>Db) that he could hear in that ear was interferring
>with his speech recognition. We have not activiated
>his second implant yet and we are seeing improved
>speech and he no longer puts his hand over his ear to
>block out the distracting sounds.
>
>I know implants are controversial in the deaf
>community and implanting autistic kids is rare. We
>chose the implants before we knew about the autism,
>but the results seem to be good for us. We are lucky
>to have a great support system: insurance to pay for
>the cochlear and speech therapy, a great speech
>therapist that is aware of the needs of autistic
>children and a very coperative school that is willing
>to work with us and our speech therapist to create a
>quality learning enviorment for our son.
>
>I would like to hear from parents of autistic kids
>with implants.
My daughter is turning 5 in july she was dignosed with mild hearing loss at birth then was completly deaf at 3 months of age. She was born with CMV (german measles). They claimed she was a child that fell through the cracks, at 2-3 she got her cochlear implant and started therepy but didnt recieved the Early intervention therepy she needed, at 3 she was sent to a school for deaf children, but not progress was made since she wasnt comfortable wearing her CI and had porblems with the device since day 1,to make a long story short, shes been dignosed with sever autism at 4 1/2 and now is being put out from her deaf school since she requires more help then they can give her, im out of resources living in NY in the bronx there isnt much here. Im also a single parent so its hard to provide for her and give her the attention she needs to strive.Any tips or help???
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