Dressing it Up!

My daughter has had access to hearing for 18 months now! She is flourishing; babbling up a storm and listening as well as she can at this point.  Expecting a 2 year old to keep track of her cochlear implant device however, is like expecting a fish to go for a walk. It's just not going to happen.

So, I came up with this little tether last year to help me (and her) so they don't get lost.

At first, she did not appreciate the clip on her shirt but that didn't last long.  She also didn't want the cochlear implant on either; at first.  Once she realized she could still play and run around with them on, she was good to go.

I decided to make my own because the selection out there was very medical-device looking. I wanted something fun, colorful, fashionable, and of course it had to go with a lot of different colors and outfits; wouldn't want her tether to clash with her outfit. ;)

Now she actually has two cochlear implants to keep track of, and she's more rough-and-tumble than ever. We've gone to the beach, on trail hikes, out to play in the mud you name it and we all have peace-of-mind that they aren't going to be lost, even if they fall off.  She's actually gotten to the point where she sees me carrying the tethers and hands me one CI at a time so I can clip it and put it back on. It's wonderful! I'm so glad she's likes having hearing as much as we enjoy hearing her.

I am thinking of updating the style of these handy little tethers so they're even easier to use (I think I need to update the pictures of them on, too. She's just a babe in this picture!). Stay tuned to see what I come up with, and for more up-to-date pictures of this girl sporting her amazing gear.