Re: Phonak iLink FM system

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/12/2006 3:55:03 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

tgwca@... writes:

Is anyone familiar with the iLink FM system from Phonak built

right in? Is this just new, and is it available now? Which aids is it

compatible with? Do you have to order it when you order your aid? From

reading on the website, I at first thought perhaps you can add the

software to your aid at a later date, but I am now thinking that maybe

you have to order it with your aid, because the site says that it is

easy to operate with a three position switch, so maybe the switch has

to be added when the aid is made? I think we were going to be put

into the Phonak ML9S receiver, but now I am wondering if we might add

the iLink to a Phonak Eleva aid. And while I think of it, I wonder if

the iLink is crazy expensive compared to the others or not. We will

have to find out.

Thanks so much again to everyone that has answered our questions

along the way. tried out an aid for the first time yesterday,

and he was so excited. He didn't want to take it off, and he talked

about it non-stop the whole rest of the day and into this morning.

Tricia,

First, congratulations on liking the hearing aid. That is often a big

hurdle for older kids being aided for the first time -- they get nervous

about being different or getting teased. I'm thrilled he likes it -- Ian had the

same reaction and now never wants to be without his aids.

As for the FMs -- from what little I know about it, the Fm is built into the

aid and can't be added later. We looked into this for about 2 minutes. Our

issue is that Ian's FM is provided by the school district and they would not

share the costs of the new aids with the built-in receivers. They have a

system and refused to even consider " going Halfsies " on the new aids. I might

have

been able to force the issue, but would have had to pay for them first and

then fight the district for reimbursement. (ugh!)

If I remember correctly, having the FM built-in about doubled the price of

the aids. That's not something we could afford on our own. But if you're

planning to purchase both the FM system and the aids, then perhaps this is a

cost

effective choice.

I would talk to your audiologist about this. I don't know what kind of

hearing loss those aids were developed to address. It's a new product and your

audi is probably the best one to tell you if they're appropriate for .

Again, congrats on him liking the aids!

Jill

[Guest guest]

Hi Jill,

Thanks for the reply. I did more reading on the website and I see now

that the iLink is an aide in and of itself, i.e. it is one of their

models and the FM can't be built into the aide of your choice, which

was one of my original questions. We'll ask our audiologist about it,

but at this stage I'm thinking we will probably go with the one she

recommended, the Phonak Eleva with the little FM clip that goes on

the end. They are not the boots, but rather clips that kind of become

one with the aide. You can see it at

http://www.phonak.com/professional/productsp/fm/receivers.htm It is

the ML9S receiver. We will eventually aide his right side too, as his

loss will progress, but we just don't know how long that will be from

now. Thanks again for being so helpful. As we are partially funded

every five years, and this is all new to us, I have really felt the

weight of making the right decisions and it has been so nice to be

able to come here and ask questions.

Tricia

>

>

> In a message dated 8/12/2006 3:55:03 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> tgwca@... writes:

>

> Is anyone familiar with the iLink FM system from Phonak built

> right in? Is this just new, and is it available now? Which aids is

it

> compatible with? Do you have to order it when you order your aid?

From

> reading on the website, I at first thought perhaps you can add the

> software to your aid at a later date, but I am now thinking that

maybe

> you have to order it with your aid, because the site says that it

is

> easy to operate with a three position switch, so maybe the switch

has

> to be added when the aid is made? I think we were going to be put

> into the Phonak ML9S receiver, but now I am wondering if we might

add

> the iLink to a Phonak Eleva aid. And while I think of it, I wonder

if

> the iLink is crazy expensive compared to the others or not. We

will

> have to find out.

>

> Thanks so much again to everyone that has answered our questions

> along the way. tried out an aid for the first time

yesterday,

> and he was so excited. He didn't want to take it off, and he

talked

> about it non-stop the whole rest of the day and into this morning.

>

>

>

>

> Tricia,

>

> First, congratulations on liking the hearing aid. That is

often a big

> hurdle for older kids being aided for the first time -- they get

nervous

> about being different or getting teased. I'm thrilled he likes it --

Ian had the

> same reaction and now never wants to be without his aids.

>

> As for the FMs -- from what little I know about it, the Fm is built

into the

> aid and can't be added later. We looked into this for about 2

minutes. Our

> issue is that Ian's FM is provided by the school district and they

would not

> share the costs of the new aids with the built-in receivers. They

have a

> system and refused to even consider " going Halfsies " on the new

aids. I might have

> been able to force the issue, but would have had to pay for them

first and

> then fight the district for reimbursement. (ugh!)

>

> If I remember correctly, having the FM built-in about doubled the

price of

> the aids. That's not something we could afford on our own. But if

you're

> planning to purchase both the FM system and the aids, then perhaps

this is a cost

> effective choice.

>

> I would talk to your audiologist about this. I don't know what kind

of

> hearing loss those aids were developed to address. It's a new

product and your

> audi is probably the best one to tell you if they're appropriate

for .

>

> Again, congrats on him liking the aids!

> Jill

>

>

>