BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Deafness Cochlear Implants

What are your thoughts on this device? Are you in favor of the implant or opposed to it? Why? Do you feel that children should receive the implant or not? Why? Do you think it helps deaf people or not? Why?

Well I'm no expert and I'm biased because this amazing invention was created in Australia... but everything I've heard about it has been extremely positive.

Now I suppose the question really is - do you try to "fix" someone who can't hear? What about the fact that deaf people have more intensity in their other senses? Should you remove that possibility, of developing extraordinary senses, from a deaf child just so that they can hear? Perhaps they will grow up to be perfumers or flavorists because those senses are heightened. I know there are deaf people out there who would consider hearing to be an unnecessary extra. I'm playing devil's advocate here...

Thank you for posting such an insightful viewppoint on the topic.

I definitely will have one when the time comes. The strides they are making are incredible. I just got a handbook and DVD about the implant and it sure has changed since my father was a candidate many years ago.

I belong to a Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened group and not one person who has an implant regrets it.

I think these implants open up a whole new world for the deaf and, I, for one, wouldn't want to let the chance to communicate and hear sounds pass me by when there is something that can help me.

Just my own thoughts, I am sure others may think differently.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I agree in the sense that it would be really nice, for those with deafness, to hear the sounds of nature.

Growing up, several friends got cochlear implants but I chose not to, because I felt that I didn't "need" one. I was the top student at my high school, a top athlete, employed in a good job, etc.

Then I had a child. And moved far away from my family. And my world changed.

I have an amazing child who absorbs a million words a minute and talks up a storm... I am able to talk to most people on the telephone... I teach classes with little difficulty...

But little things crop up that force me to acknowledge that I have a profound bilateral hearing loss and am legally deaf. I struggle to teach and to learn in classrooms with poor lighting. I have difficulty in doctor's clinics when nurses call out patients' names. I have a few people whose voices are gibberish to me over the phone. And I cannot hear whether or not my daughter is pronouncing words correctly.

I had a discussion about cochlear implants recently with a local disability rights activist... I concluded that I wouldn't trade my congenital deafness for anything. It shaped who I am, made me tough, strong, and forced me to develop enhanced skills to survive in the world. However, at this point in my life, a cochlear implant may be a good choice for me, even though five years ago it was not worth considering for me.

I have a son who is deaf,he will be 18,i decided
not to have a cochlear inplant,
we use american sign language, i home school him,my son can say a few words.

Bernadette renee

Hi!

I just joined bc article I read at translationdirectory.com with you, kelli.

Abt CIs, I born deaf, go to school for the deaf, now University of Texas for BA. I grew up Deaf, see many different opinion about CI. I know people with CI, people who hate CI as kill Deaf culture, but I believe that to get CI, that person's choice.

If they want CI, they can get and still be part of Deaf culture if they decide to be, which is big problem with CI - loss of culture identity.

I know CI helpful, but also remmy CI not perfect at all. CI better or worse depend on how many channel in CI and how deep it inserted into cochlea. According to my friend Tracy, she say very digital sound due to limit range for channels - currently 22 most.

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For thoses who don't know what a Cochlear Implant is
A Cochlear implant is a type of hearing aid for profoundly deaf people, it consists of an internal coil, electrodes,an external coil,a speech processor and a microphone. The internal coil is surgically implanted in the skull behind and above the ear, and the electrodes are implanted in the cochlea.The external coil is held in place by magnets on the skin over the internal coil.The speech processor ,connected to the external coil by wire, may be worn in a pocket od special holster.The microphone is placed in a hearing aid worn behind the ear.

I think cochlear implants are best used for post-lingually deafened children and adults, who already know spoken language and have fully developed the ability to process sound.

I believe the implants are less successful in pre-lingually deafened adults. Because they could not hear during the developmental years, their brains may not be able to acquire the ability to interpret the electrical signals from the implant.

Finally, pre-lingually deafened children represent the most controversial group. Increasingly sophicated CI's and binaural implantation have increased speech perception and spoken language potential in these children. A recent study indicated that the best age to implant is 12-16 months, with high success rate up to 24 months. This is the sensitive period before a significant speech and language delay appears. Some parents may not be aware their child has a hearing problem at that age, or may not want to subject the child to invasive surgeries. Or, they may not wish to commit to using English only with no sign language, the method that usual gives the best performance, because of the frustration the child may experience.

I'm sorry for the long post; this is a subject near to my heart.