A Year in Hearing

Happy New Year to My Peeps!

It has been almost a year since Nolan received his hearing aids. So, here is a snapshot of his past year with full access to the world of sound!

January 9, 2008: A mild-moderate loss won't hinder this little guy. Nolan's first-ever hearing aid fitting! Sounds previously unheard by him (such as "p," "g," and "z") are now audible.

February 2008: Pilot caps discovered. These would prove highly useful in the not-so distant future.


April 2008: Babble. Never has "mamama" or "bababa" sounded so wonderful!


May 2008: Due to chronic fluid, we had the first set of PE tubes placed.

June 2008: Nolan stops pulling out his hearing aids. The pilot cap is GONE! Or so we thought!

July 2008: We discover the painful results of another toddler's curiosity. OUCH.

October 2008: The pilot cap returns, to thwart hearing aid removal attempts.

November 2008: A nasty virus necessitates tube insertion number two. The right ear takes a plunge into the severe range, fortunately a temporary loss.



December 2008: The most recent audiogram shows a bit of a drop from the initial ABR. His aids are more than capable of handling his level of loss, and his speech is taking off!

The blue line is Nolan's initial "eHL" from his ABR. The green lines are his current hearing level- his left ear being the better of the two.

Of course, the last day of the year doesn't lack for excitement in the hearing aid department. Nolan's left aid has ceased making the high-pitched sound of feedback. While no one really welcomes feedback, a lack of it hints at some sort of a problem. The batteries are fine, but the aid doesn't appear to be working well. Nolan won't leave it in and thus we are aid-less today.

I look forward to 2009- life with a toddler rather than a baby, a language explosion, and hopefully more compliance with leaving those hearing aids in!