Update on Naida IX

       Since we got the new Naida IX, we have been noticing all the changes in her hearing and all things around it.I was back from India after a week and had just got the new aids before leaving.Once back home I realized Prisha was talking loudly again and was asking me things again or "not listening well".So we did go last week and had got filters changed but still this week, I felt she was listening as well as when she had got Naida III.We went back, got her new mold for the left ear and then decided to do her puretone audiogram.While the test was being done, I was a bit taken aback as she was not responding to many tones.My heart just started to sink.After the test the result was not too good.She was hearing at 35db when earlier she was at 20db!!Mrs.W was surprised too.She asked if Prisha's earlier tests were done at about the same time, but those were after school when she was really tired.And these days she has holidays.So that was ruled out.then she thought it could be back ground sound suppression.In India, our audiologist had switched that off and over the years Prisha had learnt to distinguish on her own the various sounds and had learnt to pay attention to voices even with amplification of only 60db.So mayb, just maybe, with Naida IX she is not able to hear better with suppression.So she switched of that.But still no effect and so she has now amplified by about 15 db for her to hear better and we are finding that we now have to talk softer and Prisha too is softer.So we observe next one week and next Friday we shall go again and see what changes need to be made.We have to still find out why was she hearing better with Naida III.Is it because Ix has more channels and so the tuning makes the peaks and gains flatter?We would find out answers to our questions soon.We trust the company a lot and am sure they would make sure Prisha gets the best help possible.

FM system not needed

'H' is the tube to be changed

    Today we were at "Geers" to get her hearing aids tuned more finely but sadly Mrs.Wiesel was unwell and another audiologist was there to help us with issues.We were told that there could be some water deposit in the filters of the HA.These filters are present in the transparent tube in front of the BTE.This happens specially in the winters with the difference of temperatures in and outside the house.The snow and moisture in the air can clog the filters and despite keeping the aids every night in the de-humidifier.It does not dry up as much and we need to unscrew the transparent tube and replace with a new one every few weeks.We did that and Prisha could make out the difference instantly.It was decided that we shall see for a few days and if we still feel Prisha needs more amplification, we shall do so when Mrs.W is back as she is a specialist with kids in absence of Mrs.Z and knows Prisha's case well.So we shall watch.
    Another thing that thrilled us was a small incident while the audiologist was putting Prisha's HA back into her ears.While she was doing this my husband was talking to her from near her and I was across the room and I started to question her and Prisha was responding to me.She answered everything well and the audiologist was beaming with joy behind.I looked puzzled.She said that Prisha was so well conditioned auditorily that she did not need even an FM system!!I was surprised.She said that Prisha was hearing very well at 20db and also her training over the years have made her respond to sounds very well and she felt except maybe at supermarkets or at celebrations or at other public places where she might need access to direct sounds from us, she did not need FM at all.She added that in Germany, she would not find such a conditioned child at all ! The parents would work here for about 4-5 months but after a while let it go.Our 6 years of dedicated work with her, where focus was on listening, it finally paid off.I am happy for Prisha but yes, our work needs to continue as we have to make up for lost learning due to her under amplification. I am so thankful to Mrs.Hudlikar.Its thanks to her that we are seeing all these positive feedbacks in our lives.Prisha leads a near normal life.

The big Indian wedding

Prisha dancing on stage

   We went to India on the 4th of December for an engagement and a wedding of 2 of Prisha's cousins. Well what a jam packed programme and what fun we had.Prisha enjoyed every bit of it.She danced and sang on the musical night and was dressed at her best in all the Indian attires.Thanks to her aunt Nisha who visited us, she was taken care of while I did all the things that needed my help.The 3 days of celebrations were something that she thoroughly enjoyed and participated in.She was the centre of attraction with all spirit and many reltives we have not seen in many years were very happy to hear her talk and respond to sounds like normal kids. We did loads of compliments and we did feel how much efforts have gone in to get her where she is with all sorts of wrong amplifications and advise in India from our audiologist, our job was tougher.
We did meet an ENT specialist and we were told how well she was talking and it was not there so with other kids.he did talk about CI and related issues and I would have loved to have detailed chat with him about it and about the conditions of speech therapy and lack of awareness etc in India, but time fell short.We were there just for 5 days and with all the celebrations, I missed on that.All in all a lovely trip!Posting some pictures of her.
    I have also noticed that Naida IX has been great for her but she may need more amplification as there are times she does not hear things and needs repetition.We heard her hearing aids and feel we need to increase her loudness for her to hear better.So we have an appointment tomorrow morning where she gets her new mold for the left ear {needed change again as sound was leaking}, lets see what changes and fine tuning are needed.She definitely has suffered long term due to bad amplification in India, we need to work harder on her speech .She is alright with regular day to day speech but finds it difficult to express anything new in her own words. She halts and her intonation is forceful and it worries me.She is very spirited and her speech therapist in school loves that fact that she takes all the corrections very well and never gives up.We need to find a good English speaking speech therapist outside the school too.Despite our efforts, we have not been able to find one here.Speech therapy in English is quite a weak area in Germany.So we have to work on her all by ourselves, following our instinct.She has made huge improvement in that last 4 months here but the graph has to be steeper still.We are not giving up but are working full force.Loads of reading ,writing, corrections and input in all ways possible.We are here at home for our winter break and so we hope to make the most of the 17 days and make sure that when she is back at school, she is more clear.The school too is finally realizing our efforts after their initial resistance to our working with her.By next June we definitely hope to see her at par with the curriculum {the IB curriculum was difficult for her to follow with its open ended style, where she had to express herself more}.Keeping our fingers crossed.

Riding the horse to the bride's home