Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Hearing vs. Feeling



At the park the other day, we heard the unexpected chimes of the downtown clock and I immediately asked, "what is that I hear?" We were standing by swings which were swaying back and forth since we had just ejected ourselves from their straps held by the metal chains. Gage spoke up and said "oh I hear it, it's the swings". As I looked at him, he still was holding the metal pole that was part of the swing set's colossal architecture. I explained to him that if he let go, he wouldn't feel the swings sway, and he might be able to tell what the sound actually was. As soon as he let go, he said, "Oh, that's the clock downtown". So I guess they still feel before they hear.
Another example was Brook riding her bike. She exclaimed "look Mom, I can still hear it" as she pulled the coils off her four year old head. She smiled as she had discovered her natural "hearing". When she replaced the coils, I explained that she was actually feeling herself ride the bike, she felt something called vibrations (new vocab word for her). She smiled and rode off, her coils back in place. She has also recently discovered that if she place her head sideways(one ear down in the water)she can "hear" herself talk thru the water. Unfortunately we are still paying for this discovery while swimming because she now has swimmer's ear and an ear infection. We should use ear plugs I guess.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah touching or feel is more stronger sense while trying to listen....for us with CI that is.

I have speakers on the computer desk, when I have my hands laying on the keyboard pad...I don't hear very well til I let my hands off it, I hear better. Very interesting.

When I'm watching a movie and picks up my drink...especially a styrofoam cup, I lose concentration on listening.

I got CI at age 34 after 32 years of no hearing...hearing aids never helped at all. So I believe kids being CI'ed at early age should be able to hear while feeling something else when they get older. I could be wrong?

Abbie said...

I am very sensitive to the vibrations. I can feel when someone is coming down the hallway or behind me. When I was completely deaf, I would feel the garbage truck come through my keyboard. It still plays a big role in my hearing.