Category Archives: auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

A brief request…

February 14, 2011 By in auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder Leave a comment

When we started this blog more than two years ago now (where’s my life gone?) we did so for entirely noble reasons. We hoped to help, in some small way, people in the same boat as us – people struggling with wading through the minefield of information and misinformation.

We have had nothing but positive feedback on the way and if we can have helped just one family in their journey, then I will rest easy. The site has taken us a long time to put together. As we researched Alice’s problem for our own ends, we tried to put it into our own words to help others out there. Where we have not used our own words, hopefully we have credited others correctly.

That said, the internet is an odd and crazy place. Whilst I would not wish to discourage anyone from spreading news and information about ANSD and CIs, can I just request that when referencing or copying formats and information from our blog that they are credited accordingly (please see copyright notice at the bottom of the page)?

Thanks and sorry for the grump

I can hear…..

April 4, 2009 By in ANSD, Auditory Neuropathy, auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, Cochlear Implant, Uncategorized Leave a comment

In my eyes at least, it couldn’t have gone better. I’ll let you make your own minds up by watching the videos. They are about 10 minutes each. ‘Switch on’ essentially consists of two parts. Firstly, the Speech processor is connected to a computer which feeds sounds directly into Alice’s implant. We hear these as beeps on the video, Alice as who-knows-what. These beeps are slowly increased in intensity to the point at which Alice reacts. This is conducted across five of the 22 electrodes to get a conservative estimate of Alice’s comfort thresholds at each point in the spectrum. A ‘sweep’ is then conducted across all 22 electrodes, programming them to the same sort of levels before the microphone and Alice’s bionic ear are switched on fully.  The tests are completed in the usual testing suite, Alice has been taught to look at a speaker in the corner that lights up with a dancing Winnie the Pooh when she reacts to the sound.

At first the programme is very conservative and quiet. Over time, the thresholds will be increased allowing Alice to experience more and more sound.

The first video shows Alice reaching her threshold level with the first electrode – the moment we had all been waiting for:

The Second shows Alice’s full switch on – welcome to the world Alice:

A Small miracle, but a miracle nonetheless.