Cochlear Implants?

Question

We were required to watch "Sweet Nothing in My Ear" for our Biology class last night. Now we have to write a paper on if I think Cochlear Implants are good or bad. What is your opinion on them? Do people who are deaf want them or do they have deaf pride?

I'd love to hear your opinion and it would really help me on m essay.

Thanks,

Clifton

Answer 1

I have a hearing loss and people have suggested that for me, but i dont need them because hearing aids work just fine. Also i dont have bad enough hearing to have a cochlear implants.

i think they are good though for those that are completely deaf. i like how you said deaf pride, im sure there are people like that but i really doubt that many people truly enjoy being deaf. people that were born deaf probably may have what we call "deaf pride" but in fact they're probably are scared of hearing, sense they never experience it before.

Answer 2

That's really interesting because I just watched a documentary today called Sound and Fury, which was able cochlear implants. One family was completely deaf, the parents and the kids, and they were exploring whether it would be a good option for their 4 year old daughter, but in the end decided it was more important for her to be involved in deaf culture than both deaf and hearing cultures. Meanwhile, the father's brother and his wife, who are hearing, had twins, one hearing and one deaf. They decided to immediately get the deaf twin the implant. Throughout the documentary all of the families argued about this issue and it was very heated. The deaf people saw it as abandoning deaf culture and the implant seemed like a really bad choice. The hearing people saw it as a blessing and said that it would be 'abusive' to not implant the device in deaf children. Fascinating film. I really can't decide on an opinion....I feel like it should be up to each individual deaf person.

Answer 3

i just watched sweet nothing in my ear this weekend (i am an audiologist so I had taped it out of curiosity).  I was very disapointed in the movie actually- for a much greater in depth view of both sides I recommend sound and fury which recently had a followup movie released as well of the families involved several years later - haven't seen to followup yet, but the first movie sound and fury was excellent.  Watching it would give your more information on this controversy as well.  

Some points to consider for your paper.  There are statistics out there find them to cite in your paper as mentioned in movie by doctor I believe it is 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.  Also in courtroom mentioned about deaf children reaching an average 4th grade reading level.  This is an old statistic and I believe mainly refers to those deaf children who used sign language.  Sign language is not english so it is very hard for them to learn to read often.   Also for more info look up info on Deaf culture.  When referring to deaf as a hearing loss it is lower case when referring to Deaf culture it is capital D.  

So in the case of hearing parents they often choose the cochlear implant because they want the child to fit into their "hearing world" and have all the opportunities available to them.  Those who are deaf and have deaf children are in more of a dilemma.  Do they want their child to be able to play with other hearing children?  Do they want their child to always have to rely on a sign language interpreter?  If they get an implant will the child still belong in the Deaf culture.  

For some communities there is an abundance of deaf people and many people use sign language.  In other communities if you go to the grocery store/the mall/the police station/the hospital/the doctor there will be NO ONE who can communicate with you.  You have to rely on an interpreter and that is tough.  

As an audiologist I have seen how wonderful cochlear implants can be.  They truly do work miracles.  They are very successful devices especialy when implanted in children.  Even more so a child like in the movie who had hearing until age 4 - that child would do WONDERFUL with an implant.  The brain is an amazing thing and it would remember what things sounded like and it would learn very quickly to hear again with the implant.  Ultimately I respect anyones opinion.  I think it would be hard for a parent in Deaf culture to get an implant for their child.  Most hearing parents go for the cochlear implant.  These days a child implanted early and enrolled in an oral school for the deaf (one that teaches to speak and hear) the children are often mainstreamed by 5th grade oftentimes earlier into a regular school with regular children.