Question
If my patient is best fit with a Sonic Innovations' open fit product today...what happens if their hearing loss changes next year and they need more gain than an open fit can support?
Answer
ANSWER: The ability to swap between a thin tube fit and an ear hook fit is one of the best features of the Sonic Innovations' ion family of products! Simply replace the thin tube with an ion standard ear hook, reconfigure EXPRESSfit for a closed ear hook fitting and voila! - you increase the frequency response to accommodate up to a flat 80 dB hearing loss!
QUESTION: What is the difference between the Sonic Innovations' ion and Touch hearing instruments?
ANSWER: The largest difference is that the ion family of products is convertible between thin tube and ear hook fittings, whereas the Touch products are Receiver in the Canal devices. With ion, there are no electronics in the ear - only the thin tube and silicone dome or custom mold. With Touch, the receiver and dome or custom mold are seated deeply into the ear canal.
QUESTION: What type of moisture protection is available for the Sonic Innovations' ion family of products?
ANSWER: Our ion family is best in class when it comes to moisture protection. We designed the case to funnel moisture away from sensitive areas, impregnate the case plastics with a special moisture resistant coating, use Gore™ membranes to protect the microphones from debris and moisture, and seal the battery compartment with an O-ring.
QUESTION: I understand there is a feature on Sonic Innovations' ion products called Push Button Retrain. How does this work?
ANSWER: This is a great feature, and one that is specifically designed for the savvy patient. The Push Button Retrain feature allows a 'reset' of the Feedback Canceller signal without the patient having to make a return office visit. This can be very useful for patients that frequently cause the acoustic pathway near their devices to change - for example, for women who change their hairstyles or for men who wear different kinds of hats.
Before beginning the retraining sequence, make sure the patient is wearing the device. Next, instruct the patient to press and hold the program switch for four seconds or until the power off tones are heard. At this point the training sequence will begin. It is important to advise the patient to remain quiet while the training signal is presented. When the training is complete, the power up tones will play and the device will be back in Program 1.
For more information, please visit www.sonici.com or the Sonic Innovations Web Channel on AudiologyOnline.
Erin Reichert, M.S., CCC-A, is the Manager of Audiology & Technical Support at Sonic Innovations where she manages a team that provides hearing instrument product selection, fitting and software support for professionals. Prior to coming to Sonic Innovations, Erin worked in a private practice serving south eastern Minnesota. She earned her Master's degree in Audiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.