Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is a cochlear implant?
A COCHLEAR IMPLANT IS AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE HEARING FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO HAVE A SEVERE TO PROFOUND SENSORI-NEURAL HEARING LOSS AND SHOW NO MEANINGFUL BENEFIT FROM HEARING AIDS. A cochlear implant can provide a deaf person with useful hearing of environmental sounds as well as the ability to hear and understand most speech without lip-reading. Most cochlear implant users can communicate on the telephone and appreciate music.
2. What components make up a Cochlear Implant?
A COCHLEAR IMPLANT CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING:
INTERNAL Implant - the receiver which is surgically implanted in the skull with electrodes inserted into the inner ear or cochlea.
EXTERNAL Processor - a worn sound processor and a battery pack connected to a magnetic coil that transmits the processed signal to the receiver in the skull.
3. WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES?
A cochlear implant can provide a deaf person with useful hearing of environmental sounds as well as the ability to hear and understand most speech without lip-reading. Most cochlear implant users can communicate on the telephone and appreciate music.
- Cochlear implantation is safe and reliable
- Cochlear implantation is cost effective for adults and children of all ages.
- The earlier children are implanted the better the outcomes
- For adults and children who lose their hearing, the shorter the period of deafness the more effective implantation will be
- Bilateral implantation has been shown to improve listening in noise and localization of sound which are both important in difficult listening situations
4. WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR A COCHLEAR IMPLANT?
- An adult/child/baby with bilateral moderate to profound sensori-neural hearing loss
- Who shows very limited or no benefit from hearing aids
- Adults and older children whose hearing loss occurred after learning spoken language
- In the case of pre-lingually deafened adults there must be evidence that auditory cues assist communication
- The primary means of communication must be spoken language
- No medical contraindications
- A desire to be part of the hearing world
- No upper age limit for referral
