Frequently Asked Questions About Cochlear Implants
1) What is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is a small, surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. It consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear, like a hearing aid, and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin. External components of the cochlear implant include a microphone, speech processor and a radio frequency transmitter. 2) How does it work?
Unlike a hearing aid, the cochlear implant does not amplify sound. Rather, it works by directly stimulating any functioning auditory nerves inside the cochlea with an electric field. 3) Will it restore hearing to normal?
While cochlear implants do not restore normal hearing, they do provide sound. It may sound foreign at first, but after a while, the sound becomes more normal and comprehensible. When the implant is first turned on, the patient can hear sound, but it can take a while for the brain to understand speech, especially for a child. For a child who lost his hearing just as he was beginning to learn speech and language, he will have to re-learn how to hear. Cochlear implants can provide more access to speech information than previously received from a hearing aid. Practice with the implant and supplemental listening therapy are effective means to obtain the maximum benefit from this device. 4) What will speech sound like to a cochlear implant patient?
Performance of speech perception varies among individuals; however, with time and appropriate rehabilitation, most users understand more speech than they did with their hearing aids and many are able to communicate by regular telephone or enjoy music. 5) How common is the surgery?
About 150,000 people worldwide have received cochlear implants, with recipients split almost evenly between children and adults. 6) Does a child outgrow a cochlear implant and require additional surgeries as he ages?
The cochlea is fully formed at birth and the skull structures have achieved almost full growth by the age of two. The electrode array is designed to accommodate the skull growth in children. 7) Are there any restrictions on a cochlear implant patient’s lifestyle post-implant?
When not wearing the external equipment, users can swim, shower, and participate in any number of water activities. The only restriction placed on implant users relates to skydiving and scuba diving because the significant air-pressure changes encountered in these activities, which are not advisable. Participation in all other athletic pursuits is unrestricted, though protective head gear is recommended.
A cochlear implant is a small, surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. It consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear, like a hearing aid, and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin. External components of the cochlear implant include a microphone, speech processor and a radio frequency transmitter. 2) How does it work?
Unlike a hearing aid, the cochlear implant does not amplify sound. Rather, it works by directly stimulating any functioning auditory nerves inside the cochlea with an electric field. 3) Will it restore hearing to normal?
While cochlear implants do not restore normal hearing, they do provide sound. It may sound foreign at first, but after a while, the sound becomes more normal and comprehensible. When the implant is first turned on, the patient can hear sound, but it can take a while for the brain to understand speech, especially for a child. For a child who lost his hearing just as he was beginning to learn speech and language, he will have to re-learn how to hear. Cochlear implants can provide more access to speech information than previously received from a hearing aid. Practice with the implant and supplemental listening therapy are effective means to obtain the maximum benefit from this device. 4) What will speech sound like to a cochlear implant patient?
Performance of speech perception varies among individuals; however, with time and appropriate rehabilitation, most users understand more speech than they did with their hearing aids and many are able to communicate by regular telephone or enjoy music. 5) How common is the surgery?
About 150,000 people worldwide have received cochlear implants, with recipients split almost evenly between children and adults. 6) Does a child outgrow a cochlear implant and require additional surgeries as he ages?
The cochlea is fully formed at birth and the skull structures have achieved almost full growth by the age of two. The electrode array is designed to accommodate the skull growth in children. 7) Are there any restrictions on a cochlear implant patient’s lifestyle post-implant?
When not wearing the external equipment, users can swim, shower, and participate in any number of water activities. The only restriction placed on implant users relates to skydiving and scuba diving because the significant air-pressure changes encountered in these activities, which are not advisable. Participation in all other athletic pursuits is unrestricted, though protective head gear is recommended.