RE: Solaris FM, ADD and implant?

October 31, 2000

In a message dated 10/31/00 11:08:32 AM Eastern Standard Time,

ahodge@... writes:

, I frequently volunteer in my son's first grade classroom and if ANY

of the kids in the class are left alone for 40 mins they are ALL chatting! I

think that 40 mins is totally unrealistic with this age group. My son has a

terp in class with him and she was keeping him on task and making him pay

attention, so I had to ask her to step it down a little, how fair is it when

the kid two tables over is getting into trouble for doing exactly what MY son

is doing, except he has an adult to pull him back from the brink! If he

doesn't learn NOW to moderate his behaviour in school, it will be harder for

him later on, but I wouldn't expect ANY first grader to stay on task for 40

mins! Also, if he is used to one on one, then he needs help to learn how to

function in a group situation too. In fact, I think the teacher actually

changes the activity in the classroom every 20 mins or so! I don't think

any first grader could stay well on task for 40 mins! Also, I agree, if you

son is dependant on his FM, then of course he is going to have difficulty in

the classroom when he doesn't have it!

Orla

> He does get some support both in the classroom and in pull-out

> sessions, but one day last week he was on his own, and the teacher decided

> to leave him that way for 40 minutes to see if he could do his work. Well,

> he didn't - he " chatted " instead (my son is very sociable!)I don't have that

> much experience with kids - would a 6-yr-old boy (who is used to lots of

> one-on one) normally be able to work independently under those

> circumstances? If so, does this sound like ADD?

>

October 31, 2000

<<<Meanwhile, my son is struggling to adjust to Grade

One - he's 6.5 years,

severe-profound hearing loss and quite a significant

language delay - and I

am constantly being told that he is having trouble

attending in class. I

wonder if the fact that he has only had a working FM

system for a few weeks

out of the two months he's been in school could have

anything to do with

that? He does get some support both in the classroom

and in pull-out

sessions, but one day last week he was on his own, and

the teacher decided

to leave him that way for 40 minutes to see if he

could do his work. Well,

he didn't - he " chatted " instead (my son is very

sociable!)I don't have that

much experience with kids - would a 6-yr-old boy (who

is used to lots of

one-on one) normally be able to work independently

under those

circumstances? If so, does this sound like ADD?>>

Hi ,

I have a boy who will be 7 in Jan, also has a

severe-profound loss and is also in first grade. I

know that there is NO WAY could sit for 40

mins doing work. I'd give him 5, maybe 10 at the most.

needs constant help with focusing on the

subject

on hand. I dont have a lot of experinece with ADD but

he sounds like a normal 6.5 boy to me. I am sure the

problems with the FM are also playing a prt in things.

I got a note yesterday from someone who deals with my

son and it said " having difficulty following oral

directions " . Well, um, DUH. So I sent in a note so

this person could make sure they were speaking to him

in the correct ways. Maybe you could also tell your

sons teachers about how he should be placed in the

classroom, looking at him when they speak to him, etc.

Sounds kind of like maybe they are not doing for him

everything they should??? Just my thoughts...

mom to ,6 1/2, severe-profound, Siemens

bicross MUSIC aids

--4 1/2 and driving me crazy

ph--23 months and into everything!!!

--- Hodge wrote:

> This is really just a continuation of my rant about

> the Solaris FM. Forgive

> me for going on about this stuff, but I think I

> really need to get it out -

> I am so angry about everything going on with my son

> these days that I'm

> beginning to think I never went through all those

> stages of grief properly!!

>

> First of all, his school FM has not worked properly

> since day one - so it

> was sent off for repairs and I brought our home FM

> system (which cost us

> about $3000 and was in perfect working order) in to

> school for him. Well,

> last week, my son's teacher (who shall be nameless,

> of course, since it was

> accidental) dropped the transmitter not once but

> twice, and broke it! Now

> it's in for repairs, but I have a feeling it will

> never be the same again.

> Fortunately (you might think) the school FM finally

> came back from being

> repaired, except that it still doesn't work!

>

> Meanwhile, my son is struggling to adjust to Grade

> One - he's 6.5 years,

> severe-profound hearing loss and quite a significant

> language delay - and I

> am constantly being told that he is having trouble

> attending in class. I

> wonder if the fact that he has only had a working FM

> system for a few weeks

> out of the two months he's been in school could have

> anything to do with

> that? He does get some support both in the classroom

> and in pull-out

> sessions, but one day last week he was on his own,

> and the teacher decided

> to leave him that way for 40 minutes to see if he

> could do his work. Well,

> he didn't - he " chatted " instead (my son is very

> sociable!)I don't have that

> much experience with kids - would a 6-yr-old boy

> (who is used to lots of

> one-on one) normally be able to work independently

> under those

> circumstances? If so, does this sound like ADD?

>

> Lastly, we have finally decided, after nearly two

> years of agonizing, that

> we will go ahead with an implant, and now I'm

> wondering if the better

> hearing that I hope the implant will give will clear

> up his " attentional "

> problems, especially after reading about your

> experience with JD's

> behaviour, Kay. Has anyone else seen an improvement

> in behaviour post-CI

> (particularly for an older child)? I'm trying so

> hard to figure out what my

> son needs and what is the best way to give it to

> him, and going crazy in the

> process, since nobody seems to have any answers for

> me!

>

> Sorry for the length of this post, but if anyone has

> any comments, please

> feel free.

>

> mom to 6.5 year old boy, severe-profound HL, digital

> aids, CI candidate

>

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October 31, 2000

Well i do and if he hadnt " chatted " i would have worried!! LOL Good grief,

if you leave me alone with my own devices i'll do what im not supposed to

also.

Sorry i cant help you with the rest of it.....we havent reached the point of

using an FM or CI.

Betty

> I don't have that

> much experience with kids - would a 6-yr-old boy (who is used to lots of

> one-on one) normally be able to work independently under those

> circumstances? If so, does this sound like ADD?

October 31, 2000

> I am so angry about everything going on with my son these days that I'm

> beginning to think I never went through all those stages of grief

properly!!

You'll revisit them time and time again.

First, I would (please note that this is what I would do, not necessarily

what you should do) notify the school, in writing that you don't feel your

son's IEP is being complied with. That the use of an FM system is specified

in the IEP and that from this point forward, you will document each day your

child is without the use of a WORKING fm system, and for those days you will

expect compensitory education.

Next, I would let the school know that they are responsible for the repairs

to YOUR system.

OSEP: re: School District's Liability for a Family-Owned AT Device

http://www.listen-up.org/rights/osep3.htm

As to whether being able to hear affects a child's behavior or not, read

what happened at one of my son's IEP meetings at the top of Flaky excuses

and outrageous statements made by Educrats:

http://www.listen-up.org/rights/outrageous.htm

> Has anyone else seen an improvement in behaviour post-CI

> (particularly for an older child)? I'm trying so hard to figure out what

my

> son needs and what is the best way to give it to him, and going crazy in

the

> process, since nobody seems to have any answers for me!

I don't know if other kids have had the drastic changes that JD had, but

many parent's of CI kids say that their children's behavior improves. As I

recall, you yourself said that his assessment stated your son was frustrated

due to his hearing loss. It would be great to find out before hand if this

would make a difference with your son or not.

I wish I had the answers for you. Trying to figure out how to best help our

kids is frustrating at times. The only other thing I can really suggest is

perhaps trying a special food diet. With JD, before the implant, it did make

a difference. After the implant it didn't. The way I figure it, the minor

problems caused by some food additives in his diet were just the straw that

broke the camel's back - so to speak - and that with the reduced frustration

level, he's better able to handle these things physically. The diet our son

was on is called the Feingold diet.

http://www.feingold.org/

Our son's biggest problems were foods that were naturally red (tomatoes &

strawberries), as well as food colors. I could tell within 30 minutes if he

had eaten something he wasn't supposed to. While we no longer have him on

the diet, I still control the amount of these things he eats.

Best of luck to you. I pray you find your answers!!!

Hugs,

Kay

October 31, 2000

My sons used an Comtech FM system at school when they wore hearing aids.

Since receiving their cochlear implants in 1991, they have never used an

FM system again. They don't want or need one. I hope this is

encouraging to you while pursuing the implant. It's definitely allowed

the boys to hear much better than they heard with aids. They are both

left-corner profoundly deaf and have been in regular school since

preschool. They talk on the phone and hear many things that they

couldn't hear with aids. I remember how active my younger son was before

his implant. Sitting still during AV therapy was practically impossible

before his implant at 4. The first time he went to therapy after " hook

up, " he sat and worked the entire hour. Life is so much easier when they

can hear!

Good luck with your decision,

Will 18 N-22 6/91 N-24 12/98

Philip 13 N-22 6/91

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October 31, 2000

Hodge wrote:

> This is really just a continuation of my rant about the Solaris FM. Forgive

> me for going on about this stuff, but I think I really need to get it out -

> I am so angry about everything going on with my son these days that I'm

> beginning to think I never went through all those stages of grief properly!!

>

> First of all, his school FM has not worked properly since day one - so it

> was sent off for repairs and I brought our home FM system (which cost us

> about $3000 and was in perfect working order) in to school for him. Well,

> last week, my son's teacher (who shall be nameless, of course, since it was

> accidental) dropped the transmitter not once but twice, and broke it! Now

> it's in for repairs, but I have a feeling it will never be the same again.

> Fortunately (you might think) the school FM finally came back from being

> repaired, except that it still doesn't work!

>

> Meanwhile, my son is struggling to adjust to Grade One - he's 6.5 years,

> severe-profound hearing loss and quite a significant language delay - and I

> am constantly being told that he is having trouble attending in class. I

> wonder if the fact that he has only had a working FM system for a few weeks

> out of the two months he's been in school could have anything to do with

> that? He does get some support both in the classroom and in pull-out

> sessions, but one day last week he was on his own, and the teacher decided

> to leave him that way for 40 minutes to see if he could do his work. Well,

> he didn't - he " chatted " instead (my son is very sociable!)I don't have that

> much experience with kids - would a 6-yr-old boy (who is used to lots of

> one-on one) normally be able to work independently under those

> circumstances? If so, does this sound like ADD?

>

> Lastly, we have finally decided, after nearly two years of agonizing, that

> we will go ahead with an implant, and now I'm wondering if the better

> hearing that I hope the implant will give will clear up his " attentional "

> problems, especially after reading about your experience with JD's

> behaviour, Kay. Has anyone else seen an improvement in behaviour post-CI

> (particularly for an older child)? I'm trying so hard to figure out what my

> son needs and what is the best way to give it to him, and going crazy in the

> process, since nobody seems to have any answers for me!

>

> Sorry for the length of this post, but if anyone has any comments, please

> feel free.

>

> mom to 6.5 year old boy, severe-profound HL, digital aids, CI candidate

>

> 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.

October 31, 2000

Our daughter had a Solaris FM system for 2 years and it was in the repair