Cochlear implants an electrical device which proposes to remedy the incapacity of functioning by being in place of the damaged hair cells and providing the necessary electrical stimulation. The implant mimics patterns of nerve activity present in the normal human ear and allows for the “spontaneous recognition of all types of sound” and eventual acquisition determination to use cochlear implants in prelingually & post lingually hearing loss children. Cochlear implant is a prosthetic management for hearing.
Who can get a cochlear implant?
- Having severe to profound sensorineural hearing impairment in both ears.
- Living in or desiring to live in the “hearing world”
- Not benefiting enough from other kinds of hearing aids
- In order to determine if a patient is a candidate for a cochlear implant, the patient must have a medical evaluation by an ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist/ENT). This evaluation may include a CT scan or MRI scan of the brain and the middle and inner ear.
Optimum age for an implant?
Congenitally child with hearing loss, who receive cochlear implants at a young age (less than 2 years) have better success with them than congenitally child with hearing loss, who first receive the implants at a later age, though the critical period for utilizing auditory information does not close completely until adolescence.
What are the benefits of a cochlear implant?
- Many parents of children with cochlear implants report that their child
- Speaks at normal hearing level
- Has greater confidence in social situations
- Hears clearly in noisy environments
- Enjoys a world of new sounds
- Talk on the phone & Enjoy music
Benefits of binaural implant
Hearing with two ears is called binaural hearing, has distinct advantages such as improved speech understanding in noise, better speech recognition and sound localization. In general, it can be said that “stereo” hearing (with two ears) is less strenuous than “mono” hearing (with one ear). The distinct advantages of bilateral implantation have also been well documented in adults. Several studies have reported restored ability to localise sounds and that adult bilateral users have demonstrated all of the binaural effects that normal individuals enjoy. Furthermore, the age of implantation in adults appears to have no bearing on the performance of the cochlear implant meaning that older adults can also obtain the same benefits as younger implanted adults.
Our Channel Partner
