hearing aids for APD?

[rosebee]

Has anyone used hearing aids to help their Auditory Processing?

I have an audiologist who is suggesting low-gain digital hearing aids with directional microphones & a noise-reduction program to help me hear better in noisy situations.

Before I go down this route, I wanted to see if anyone else had experience with this.

Comments

[danamongden]

I tried this back in 2006 or 2007, and it was an abysmal failure. However, I'm not convinced I was using the right stuff.

What they gave me was a system with an earpiece and a lapel microphone. I would put the lapel microphone on the person speaking, and I had the earpiece on the ear most problematic for noise issues. From the literature, this was designed for a classroom environment where the teacher would wear the mic while the student wore the earpiece.

Alas, it failed terribly. From my LJ at the time:
First of all, it hurts after wearing for a while. I was worried about this ahead of time, and I raised it as a serious objection to the reseller's technician for any system that approached the ear canal instead being a purely external speaker. She assured me that it wouldn't hurt. Well, it does. It's possible that it's not fit quite right and needs an adjustment. I'll be going in Thursday morning for that. I'm particularly annoyed on that front since there was an alternative that would have used a purely external speaker, and

[rosebee]

Actual real hearing aids, not an FM system.

My audiologist says she recommends FM system for children, but low-gain hearing aids for adults. If they can be strong & clear enough to help someone with a quantifiable hearing loss, then they should certainly help me out!

All I need is for the person 3 feet in front of me to be louder than the dang background noise around and behind me!

The person I'm getting it from is the local expert in APD (PortlandAPD.com). She says she sells Oticon Hit Pro ($2k/pair), Oticon Vigo Pro ($4k/pair), and Oticon Agil Pros ($6k/pair). She's going to let me take a demo pair and wander around the medical office building for an hour or so to see if they help. Then if/when I buy a pair, I have 30 days to return them for full price no-questions-asked.

[kisekileia]

This definitely sounds worth a try, since you're getting them from an APD pro. It's also possible that the technology has advanced in the past four years.

[rosebee]

I've got an appointment for Nov 11th, I'm eager to see how it goes, and what options there are.

How Did it go

[anonymous]

So how did it go?

Re: How Did it go

[rosebee]

FANTASTIC!!! :D

I'm absolutely overjoyed!

I can go into noisier places with more background noise and still hear people! As long as I work *with* the hearing aids (keeping the majority of the noise behind me, making sure the person talking is facing me, etc), they work wonders.

I was even able to manage at my office Christmas party this year!! :)

My husband & coworkers are noticing that I'm talking at a lower more-appropriate volume level. :) My husband also says that I'm also able to respond to a question faster - I guess I'm no longer having to take those extra couple seconds to figure out what I was being asked before responding.

They were expensive, but absolutely worth every penny.

They don't help with things like being distracted by noises/voices I can't tune out, but they're a HUGE help in being able to understand someone who's talking to me when there is other noise/voices around.

I highly recommend all adults with APD look into hearing aids.

[anonymous]

Which brand and model did you end up choosing? I am thinking about purchasing some for my daughter with auditory processing disorder.

[rosebee]

I have Oticon Acto Pros. :)

[anonymous]

Is it one of those hearing aids that plug ur ear or is it a little mic that slips inside the ear?????

I am testing hearing aids out right now, and the background noise doesnt seem to be quiet enough, however, those hearing aids are going back for some more programing but i was thinking since i have the ones that slip in the ear noise is still able to slip in, no??? wouldnt plugging the ear help? that way the people i am speaking to will be more focused on instead of everything coming in???

[rosebee]

I have what's called a "RITE", the main part of the hearing aid is behind my ear, but a super-thin wire goes into my ear where the receiver (aka speaker) is.

My hearing aids only amplify the speech frequencies, and only amplify what's in front me.

That way all I have to do is put my back to the loudest part of the background noise, and the person I want to hear is amplified. It works well for me. :)

Keeping having your audi work on the programming!

[anonymous]

Thanks, will do!

Can I ask you another question?

Which hearing aid do you use??

I am trying out the Belton-True series.

[rosebee]

I have Oticon Acto Pros. :)

[anonymous]

Hey

[rosebee]

I use the open ear piece.

My hearing aids only amplify sounds that are in front of me. Sounds to the side or behind me are not amplified.

Really noisy situations are hard - for those, I use a kind of silicone ear plug. It doesn't go inside the ear canal, so it doesn't interfere with the hearing aid, instead you fill the outside bowl of your ear with the silicone, and it blocks outside noises from coming in. That forces all sounds to go through the hearing aids, which filter and amplify just the right kinds.

The hearing aids are set as if I have a 20 decibel hearing loss up to 1,000 Hz (I think), and then I think it's at 30 or 35 decibel loss. Of course, in actuality I have a 0 decibel hearing loss.

The audiologist who fitted me with my hearing aids is an expert in APD, so she knew how to set things so that they'd work for me.

Keep working with your audiologist, and keep trying different settings/programming.

[anonymous]

My son is 8 and was fit with behind the ear (open) aids and uses a fm system (inspiro) in addition at school. He wears a compilot to act as the receiver, transmitting the signal via the aids. I think the gain is greater than 10 dB. He has APD and is of normal hearing. He wears the fm to read because he reads aloud to process. If he cannot hear his voice, he can't comprehend the material. So whispering in class, to stay inclusive, presents the need to mic himself.