Cochlear Implants in a Young Child?

Question

We have a 14 month old child that was just diagnosed as being profoundly deaf. I am truly heartbroken. I know that she will be OK, but we have some big decisions to make. They are suggesting that cochlear implants will be helpful. I would really like some information from anyone that has any knowledge or personal experience with them. I have an upcoming ENT appt, but am just feeling the need to get as much info beforehand, so I can have my questions ready for him. Thanks for all your help!

Answer 1

The biggest issue that comes along with cochlear implants is that many members of the Deaf community feel that Deaf people should not have to do anything to "fit in" with the hearing world, because being Deaf is not a disability to them, but a culture.  (Notice I capitalized Deaf - there is a difference between "Big D" and "Little d" deaf.  People who associate deafness with culture are Big D Deaf, while people who don't are Little d deaf.)

Also, many people feel that cochlear implants should not be given to children, because the child should have the chance to experience true deafness before making the decision whether or not they WANT to get one.  Keep in mind, a cochlear implant does not make a deaf child a hearing child.   They are still deaf, but with a device to assist them.   However, the longer one waits to get a cochlear implant, the less effective it can be.

Lots of helpful information can be found at the link below, including more about cultural Deafness and the ethical concerns regarding a coch implant.   There are also many helpful links at the bottom of the wikipedia article.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_im...

I wish you the very best of luck, and I urge you not to be heartbroken over your daughter's deafness.  I know it is difficult, but deafness really isn't as big of an issue as people make it out to be.  She WILL be ok - trust in that!

Answer 2

If you decide ot get the implant, your child will lose any hearing they have.

I have a now 31/2 year old nephew, he is about 90% deaf in one ear and about 50% deaf in the other, he has hearing aids and they have helped alot, since he could hear he was not a canidate for the implants.

Answer 3

As someone has stated earlier, the biggest issue with cochlear implants is that the majority of the people in the Deaf community do not advocate for such devices due to many reasons.

However, as a speech pathologist, cochlear implants will greatly benefit your daughter in many ways. Although she will not be able to hear all sounds like a typical person, she will be able to acquire speech more easily. Speech and sound acquisition will also greatly impact her phonemic awareness, which is a skill that is deemed necessary for reading. Reading is a huge component in learning.....this is all an increasing hierarchy.  Socially, she will also be able to communicate with peers more easily.  

If you have any more specific questions, please feel free to contact me. :)

Answer 4

From everything that I've read/heard about the implants, they seem to be more effective the earlier the person gets them.

I saw a TV documentary about sound (sorry, can't remember the name). One of the segments showed a family where every member was profoundly deaf (two deaf parents, two deaf children). The parents had cochlear implants at about age twenty five. The children had each had the procedure about a year past birth.

The children had one significant advantage over their parents. The parents were still unable to distinguish tones, and therefore music had no appeal for them, although they could hear rhythms. The children were the polar opposite. They loved to sing and dance listen to music.