Fw: [bhNEWS] CI Hear: An Internet Goldmine of Information, Resources , Stories and More on the Cochlear Implant

[Guest guest]

Bob: Cat Editors.. Drum roll please!

Cat Editors: Rolling drums around

Bob: Thank you very much!

More seriously now.. In post 2052, 12/11/2004, Alice , our beloved

moderator, and the honcho

of the largest CI list on Yahoo and testing on Google lists, CI Hear, announced

CIhear.com, on the

web.

And we should have blown the bh News horn then...............

sigh....senility?...

Anyway, beloved member Cheryl Heppner, Editor of NVRC News, a journalism major

unlike I, did a

super blurb tonight on Alice's new creation that I would now like to share with

you

Clip from NVRC News, December 13, 2004 :

CI Hear Website

One of the people we like to hang out with is Bob at bhNews because he delights

in finding new

resources, as do we. Take a look at http://www.cihear.com " a website for those

wanting to learn

about cochlear implants. "

Among the things we found there are:

- Information about bilateral implants (yep - one for each ear)

- Medical information

- A list of support groups

- Information about joining the CI Hear listserv

- Resources to practice listening to something you can read

- Stories by adults and children with cochlear implants

- Devices and notes about choosing them.

Here's a sample article by a Dr. s, much of which echoes what Dr. Niparko

at s Hopkins has

said:

" The technical performance information on cochlear implant devices can be

confusing and potentially

misleading for patients and parents. Such information can be obtained from each

device

manufacturer's web site if desired. However, I am in disagreement with the

marketing tendency on

the part of some manufacturers to use technical data to try to 'convince'

patients or parents of the

superiority of their device.

The long term patient performance data do not support such presumption. When the

devices are

compared to one another the pros and cons of each are minor, offsetting issues.

Our center implants

all 3 manufacturers’ devices and we solicit the patient’s and parent’s

involvement in choosing which

cochlear implant to use. On rare occasions a patient may have a medical reason

requiring the choice

of one implant over another. The majority of patients are encouraged to make

their decision based on

their subjective preference for the appearance of the external processor or

confidence in one device

over the other as they have networked with other implant recipients. If the

patient or parent has no

preference concerning which implant to use, as is often the case, we alternate

between the devices.

I am often asked by patients and parents, 'Which device should I choose?' My

answer is always the

same: 'Any of them.' Each of the devices listed in this section are excellent

devices with

comparable electronic capabilities made by stable, well established companies.

The specific

technical information on each device has very little to do with how well a

patient will ultimately

'hear.' Rather, patient performance with a cochlear implant is determined more

by " patient specific "

factors (age, duration of deafness, amount of speech acquired before the onset

of deafness,

educational setting, amount of time with the implant, how hard patients and

parents work in therapy

after the implant, etc.). It is crucial that patients and parents place their

focus on these issues

and not expect the device to guarantee a good outcome.

I am also frequently asked, 'Should I wait for future technology before

proceeding with cochlear

implant surgery.' My answer is, 'Absolutely not.' The current generation of

cochlear implants

provide excellent auditory detail and can be upgraded to better technology in

the future if

warranted. The duration of deafness before implantation and conversely the

amount of time an

individual has been using an implant are two major determining factors in

hearing performance. Each

day, each month, and each year without an implant is time lost towards auditory

integration and

speech acquisition, especially in children who have a limited " window " of

opportunity to obtain

maximum benefit from an implant. Cochlear implants are amazing, but they are not

magic. They are

only the beginning of a long, strenuous journey toward the hearing world. "

Tonight the CI Hear website was added to the links on bh News for your future

reference:

CI Hear

A goldmine of information, resources, stories and more on the cochlear implant

http://www.cihear.com

Enjoy and Learn!

Nice work, Alice !

Bob

[Guest guest]

Yeah Alice!!!!!!

justagram@... wrote:

>

>

>

>Bob: Cat Editors.. Drum roll please!

>

>Cat Editors: Rolling drums around

>

>Bob: Thank you very much!

>

>More seriously now.. In post 2052, 12/11/2004, Alice , our beloved

moderator, and the honcho

>of the largest CI list on Yahoo and testing on Google lists, CI Hear, announced

CIhear.com, on the

>web.

>

>And we should have blown the bh News horn then...............

sigh....senility?...

>

>Anyway, beloved member Cheryl Heppner, Editor of NVRC News, a journalism major

unlike I, did a

>super blurb tonight on Alice's new creation that I would now like to share with

you

>

>Clip from NVRC News, December 13, 2004 :

>

>CI Hear Website

>

>One of the people we like to hang out with is Bob at bhNews because he delights

in finding new

>resources, as do we. Take a look at http://www.cihear.com " a website for

those wanting to learn

>about cochlear implants. "

>

>Among the things we found there are:

>- Information about bilateral implants (yep - one for each ear)

>- Medical information

>- A list of support groups

>- Information about joining the CI Hear listserv

>- Resources to practice listening to something you can read

>- Stories by adults and children with cochlear implants

>- Devices and notes about choosing them.

>

>Here's a sample article by a Dr. s, much of which echoes what Dr. Niparko

at s Hopkins has

>said:

> " The technical performance information on cochlear implant devices can be

confusing and potentially

>misleading for patients and parents. Such information can be obtained from each

device

>manufacturer's web site if desired. However, I am in disagreement with the

marketing tendency on

>the part of some manufacturers to use technical data to try to 'convince'

patients or parents of the

>superiority of their device.

>

>The long term patient performance data do not support such presumption. When

the devices are

>compared to one another the pros and cons of each are minor, offsetting issues.

Our center implants

>all 3 manufacturers’ devices and we solicit the patient’s and parent’s

involvement in choosing which

>cochlear implant to use. On rare occasions a patient may have a medical reason

requiring the choice

>of one implant over another. The majority of patients are encouraged to make

their decision based on

>their subjective preference for the appearance of the external processor or

confidence in one device

>over the other as they have networked with other implant recipients. If the

patient or parent has no

>preference concerning which implant to use, as is often the case, we alternate

between the devices.

>I am often asked by patients and parents, 'Which device should I choose?' My

answer is always the

>same: 'Any of them.' Each of the devices listed in this section are excellent

devices with

>comparable electronic capabilities made by stable, well established companies.

The specific

>technical information on each device has very little to do with how well a

patient will ultimately

>'hear.' Rather, patient performance with a cochlear implant is determined more

by " patient specific "

>factors (age, duration of deafness, amount of speech acquired before the onset

of deafness,

>educational setting, amount of time with the implant, how hard patients and

parents work in therapy

>after the implant, etc.). It is crucial that patients and parents place their

focus on these issues

>and not expect the device to guarantee a good outcome.

>

>I am also frequently asked, 'Should I wait for future technology before

proceeding with cochlear

>implant surgery.' My answer is, 'Absolutely not.' The current generation of

cochlear implants

>provide excellent auditory detail and can be upgraded to better technology in

the future if

>warranted. The duration of deafness before implantation and conversely the

amount of time an

>individual has been using an implant are two major determining factors in

hearing performance. Each

>day, each month, and each year without an implant is time lost towards auditory

integration and

>speech acquisition, especially in children who have a limited " window " of

opportunity to obtain

>maximum benefit from an implant. Cochlear implants are amazing, but they are

not magic. They are

>only the beginning of a long, strenuous journey toward the hearing world. "

>

>Tonight the CI Hear website was added to the links on bh News for your future

reference:

>

>CI Hear

>A goldmine of information, resources, stories and more on the cochlear implant

>http://www.cihear.com

>

>Enjoy and Learn!

>

>Nice work, Alice !

>

>Bob

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>Medical advice, information, opinions, data and statements contained herein are

not necessarily those of the list moderators. The author of this e mail is

entirely responsible for its content. List members are reminded of their

responsibility to evaluate the content of the postings and consult with their

physicians regarding changes in their own treatment.

>

>Personal attacks are not permitted on the list and anyone who sends one is

automatically moderated or removed depending on the severity of the attack.

>

>