ErikHaugsby Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Hey gang, (first time starting a thread here, oh boy!) I've got a question about articles on our blog, and I'd like your ideas. Are there specific topics you'd like to learn about, that you'd like us to write about? Are there hearing implant-related questions that you've got--or know other people have? While I know there are some topics I wouldn't be able to cover (company secrets, specific medical advice, country-specific info, or sometimes there's information that just isn't available to me), I'm open to suggestions. If it adds anything, here are the posts that have been viewed most in the last 12 months: Pictures of the Ear: Deep in the Cochlea 5 Ways to Identify High Frequency Hearing Loss How The Ear Works Learn About the Different Types of Hearing Loss The MED-EL SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant System FAQ What Is Residual Hearing? What Batteries Should I Use With My Cochlear Implant? 5 Amazing Facts About the Ear How the Ear Hears Sound Introducing the MED-EL SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant System And here are the 10 that've gotten the most interaction on Facebook, since the beginning: Pictures of the Ear: Deep in the Cochlea 3 Free Cochlear Implant Rehabilitation Activities for Any Child Low Frequency Sounds with a Cochlear Implant WaterWear for RONDO: Mary Shares her Experience Listening Games: 5 Ways to Help Your Child Detect Sounds How The Ear Works The Difference Between Speech and Language Bilateral Cochlear Implants: Mary Beth’s Story MED-EL Musicians at the International Piano Festival by People With Disabilities The MED-EL SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant System FAQ So, hit me with your best shot. What do you think should be on the blog? Ivana Marinac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted January 19, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Definitely FAQ on lots of topics. You could Have a guest writer. Like get Adam or Mary Beth or Ivana to write on any given topic. Letter from the CEO. Letter from any of the companies leading engineers or inventors. You really want to draw in the reader to our blog. So try to make it as unquie and quirky as possible. I like to hear things about how our company is doing with the newest product. Also we need more adult related rehab programs. Right now I find it is very limited for us in specific areas like homonyms. Words that sound the same. Practice programs there are only a few that are good. The only One that has worked for me is AB clix. We need our own programs it will help the company be more successful. I can't think of anything else right now but I will definitely let you know if I think of something. Oh, another thing. We need a website that displays all the products available from Med el. Accessories and such things I didn't know anything a about till I asked the others on the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 19, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 From my own perspective, I would add at least one topic with conductive hearing loss or mixed hearing loss. I remind that, in proportion, it is big disparity between these types of hearing loss and sensori-neural hearing loss. Ok, proportionally, there are much more the latter one patients - but still, I would say that generally conductive part of hearing is almost not described at all. Secondly, I would love to read more about how music can help to develop hearing abilities... I support Kara`s proposition to make better connection between implantees and people who work for the company in order to better describe what they do, or try to accomplish... People like interaction - this is what we call a patient education: how to help to themselves but also to others. The rest ideas in progress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikHaugsby Posted January 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Hey Kara, Ivana, thanks for the suggestions! The idea about people in the company...right now let's just say I've got some stuff in progress for the mid-term. Good to hear that it already has support. Kara, what kind of FAQs would you look for? How to do/use...what? Adult rehab, I understand! We're working with the rehab department for those posts, and we know there's a bunch of child-directed rehab and are trying to get more adult stuff in there. With the accessories, that's difficult for me (working from the headquarters) because so much of it is area-dependent. One product that's in country A might not be approved or even available in country B; dealing with medical devices and regulations complicates it. I don't know if someone in MED-EL USA has a list? (I'll ask!) Ivana, what would you like to hear about regarding conductive &/ mixed hearing loss? Beyond definitions of the hearing loss, which we've posted a long time ago. And re: music, I'm working right now with our music specialist on that. We've got two posts conceptualized: one which gives research-based evidence about music therapy's effects, and a second with specific music-related activities for rehab. Could there be more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 19, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Hey Kara, Ivana, thanks for the suggestions! The idea about people in the company...right now let's just say I've got some stuff in progress for the mid-term. Good to hear that it already has support. Kara, what kind of FAQs would you look for? How to do/use...what? Adult rehab, I understand! We're working with the rehab department for those posts, and we know there's a bunch of child-directed rehab and are trying to get more adult stuff in there. With the accessories, that's difficult for me (working from the headquarters) because so much of it is area-dependent. One product that's in country A might not be approved or even available in country B; dealing with medical devices and regulations complicates it. I don't know if someone in MED-EL USA has a list? (I'll ask!) Ivana, what would you like to hear about regarding conductive &/ mixed hearing loss? Beyond definitions of the hearing loss, which we've posted a long time ago. And re: music, I'm working right now with our music specialist on that. We've got two posts conceptualized: one which gives research-based evidence about music therapy's effects, and a second with specific music-related activities for rehab. Could there be more? Hey Erik - for my part: a) some simplified middle ear mechanic for patients like you did for inner ear, possibly some animation how the ossicular chain work; why you can never be actually deaf because of conductive part, possibly how the Bonebridge idea was created (of course, without any specific details) also in shorten for the Soundbridge (for people who didn't have possibility to read Mr. Ball's biography. I can't remember right now but have you ever had topics about bilaterality: why is it important, what people gain with 2 ears...? People like animations Also for the neuroplasticity - this is really fascinating topic, patient's results actually depends on this ability. I had "not in a million days" opportunity to meet Mr. Ball during the CI conference held in Beijing - I was pleasantly surprised by the chance to meet him after we worked out our lecture and presentations. That's why this is a good idea from Kara and I support it. c) I wouldn't just approach from the side of music- therapy, I would include researches of hearing loss from the music perspective. Next CI conference in Toronto will have it as the key-topic which will be held by Dr. Charles Limb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 19, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Erik I love the pictures of actual cochleas, with electrode arrays etc. that you have been posting. I also endorse the idea of MedEl staff interviews. I have been enjoying your blog posts. Keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes hadron Posted January 19, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Hi Erik, I also enjoy the blog posts. A couple of ideas. 1. Suggest readings. Many implant users want to learn more about their implants but it is difficult to find information about them. For each type of implant there could be a list of nontechical and technical references (books, research papers, articles,..). Also as new articles, papers and books are published, the blog lets readers know. 2. Updates on outstanding issues with any implants. One example. The SONNET processor has been out a while now in the US but the second microphone and the Wind Noise Reduction software have not been installed (waiting for FDA approval). Also some people are still waiting to turn in their SONNET vouchers. An update on the status of the impending software and vouchers would be appreciated. When an outstanding issue occurs, is acted on or resolved, the blog lets readers know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 19, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Hadron, The Sonnet voucher redemption has begun. Others have reported just receiving their packet from MedEl last week. Mine has not arrived yet but the redemption of vouchers has begun. Smile. Also I have news for you about the low frequency Sonnet compression but I will hunt down that thread and post it there. Mary Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes hadron Posted January 20, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Erik, One more idea. MED-EL mobile app. I asked Allison Roark about the state of the EasyGuide mobile app for Android and she checked with the Marketing and Education department and was told that MED-EL is developing a completely new mobile app. It is being developed in Innsbruck. I asked her if there was any interest in having MED-EL implant users help design and test the new app. She said she would let me know if there was interest but there has been no reply. I think one of the reasons EasyGuide was a disappointment is because no user input was considered. If MED-EL implant users on HearPeers and Facebook could provide input and feedback while it is developed and beta test the app it would be a much better product. One of the most popular courses at M.I.T is called "Building Mobile Experiences" and it shows you how to build a mobile app which will impact peoples lives. A textbook with the same name has also been published. The next MED-EL mobile app should not be a simple diagnostic tool like EasyGuide but an app which will impact MED-EL implant user lives. Implant users experiences with the mobile app could be posted on the MED-EL Blog. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 20, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 I support idea by Hadron also / I was quite long time dissapointed with aforementioned application because there was no updates, there was just CI and Soundbridge mentioned as devices.... Good thing was the application for the CI conference in Munich: I attended it and should not worry if I lost the schedule - I always had it with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 20, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Great idea Hadron. Count me in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elbras Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Hi Erik, I am new to this CI world and would like to know more about neuroplasticity in the blogs. Thank you Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 20, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Hi Erik, I am new to this CI world and would like to know more about neuroplasticity in the blogs. Thank you Elaine Yes! Only about this you can write at least several articles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 20, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Elaine- Great book about neuroplasticity is The Brain That Changes Itself. I'd send it to you but after I read it I passed it on to others. Mary Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 21, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Mary Beth, we`re talking about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brain_That_Changes_Itself I got hooked... I will also order it... I`ve read a little bit and found this excerpt - it reminds a little to Sandy`s method: "The clocks were her “Aha!” moment. Twenty-seven and unable to tell time, Arrowsmith-Young forced herself to draw clock faces. She drew the hour hand and the minute hand, willing her mind to grasp the relationship between them. One completed, she drew another. And another. “I would do the exercises every day for up to twelve hours a day,” she writes. “The work I did with flash cards activated that moribund part of my brain, getting the neurons to fire in order to forge new neural pathways.”" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 21, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Really cool info in that book. I am amazed at our brain's ability to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 21, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Really cool info in that book. I am amazed at our brain's ability to change. Believe me - I was also: does this really happening to me??!? Nooo... It's not possible what I might it is... And on and on... Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Sandy Posted January 22, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 I found the book on iBooks so will be ordering it! Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 22, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 I have started to read about echolocation and how it can be actually improved by exercising... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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