So far so good

When a Cochlear Implant is first turned on it is set at a really low level to give the brain a chance to adapt to the torrent of new information it is receiving. Peter should be hearing all the noises around him, but softly.  We are slowly increasing the volume this week, and will get three new levels (created within a program, or MAP) next Tuesday  

Peter is doing really well. I have slowly been turning up the volume, and he is now on the third program at about 2:00 (on the Neptune they have two dials, and the default setting is straight up to the mark, or 12:00, 12:00, more obvious the way the black model is shown below) we don't touch the sensitivity dial, but the audiologist told us to slowly adjust the volume dial using each program from 12:00-3:00, and that we could even go to 4:00, but at that point he would just be ready for the next program.

 Neptune controls (removed when in waterproof mode)

We have been playing games with empty and full containers to show presence vs. absence of sound. We have been playing a dance party game where Peter turns on his little music player, and we dance around while there is sound, and freeze when it stops. 

We have let him ring the wind chimes, or bang the pots, and I am trying to make a big deal out of it when I hear something.  But we are also just letting him play, and talking to him.  I am also signing when I am talking- as much as I know, in the hopes that he will pick up the spoken sounds as representing the object (like BIRD) just as the gesture does. 

Girls get to wear these cute headbands to hold their behind the ear (BTE) processor, but that would look silly on Peter!  He has a bodyworn processer, and it came with a harness, but the harness is a little too big. I have been putting the processor in a pocket of Peter's overalls. I am lucky- I have about 5 pairs of overalls- just happened to be in the clothes people gave me!  They work well if I clip the processor into the pocket, then clip the wire onto the strap. I read about a little boy who had a special-made vest, which looked like regular clothes, but had a pocket in the back.  I think there might be a need for some cute CI friendly boy's designs!

We also have an armband for bath or pool!  

Picture below is not Peter- it is from the advanced bionics website.