Cochlear Implant:What you need to know (Part1)

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 10, 2017 44

Cochlear Implant: Hope

A world without sound is lonely.Cochlear implants are the most promising method of giving a hearing life to the hearing and speech challenged.

There are grossly 2 Type of hearing loss

Post-lingual hearing loss: When a child develops normal speech and then loses it due to some event.
Most commonly post meningitis, a cochlear implant can change lives. But timing is everything.

Can your child hear you?

Prelingual hearing deficit: Hearing and speech challenged since birth.Nowadays it’s possible to have excellent results even with babies as young as 12 months.

3 most important things to help children who are hearing challenged:

#1 Early identification is most important.

If there’s any event before or after birth which can cause a hearing problem, your doctor will ask you to consult an ear doctor.Parents have the biggest chance of detecting whether baby responds by startling to loud hand clapping.

The earlier you know the more you can help.

Why is early detection important?

Your brain is an amazing organ.It is rewireable depending on the stimulus. Nature and quality of stimulus are important.

This brain plasticity or ability to learn is greatest up to age 2 and excellent till age five . Pediatricians call it the 1000 days of promise. It decreases with age and other associated problems.Speech development is deeply interlinked with hearing abilities. What the brain can’t hear the mouth can’t speak.

That’s why the early restoration of hearing can help develop normal speech in the prelingually (speech never developed)hearing challenged.

The post-lingual (speech developed, then list)hearing challenged have excellent results as they already have language skills which are helped after surgery.

#2 Training before implant

Preimplant language training by sign language (aural-oral) helps in speech development after implant.
Also, digital hearing aid is prescribed before implantation to help with adjustment to wearing an earpiece.

#3 Motivation of parents and child for continuing follow-up and training

Post-implant continued training to help in the rehabilitation of the child.The family has to be committed towards this goal.

So how can you detect earliest in babies who have never developed hearing and speech?
Tests needed:1)Testing the hearing: BERA/Tympanometry /OAE/ASSR

2)HRCT Temporal bone

3)MRI

Just to check whether the child is hearing BERA or Brainstem evoked response Audiometry test is useful CT /MRI helps to check for congenital structural defects.

Updated: November 2018

Cochlear Implant: What you Need to know(Part 1)

Cochlear Implant: Who needs it? ( Part2)

When do Babies speak(part 3)

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About Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS)

I am an ENT surgeon by profession, previously working at a Medical college. I believe the Internet is God's way of providing health and wealth information for all. The important thing is to find the right information.

Comments

Priyadarshani Panda says

October 12, 2017 at 10:36

This is a very informative article on cochlear implant often parents are unaware about these technological advances and being aware is the best thing to do ..
dramrita says

August 22, 2016 at 22:15

Thanks Beth.It’s encouraging that you find it useful.
Beth says

August 21, 2016 at 07:46

What a great article about an important issue. Early detection is key!
dramrita says

August 20, 2016 at 22:52

Thanks Jasmine
Jasmine Watts says

August 20, 2016 at 14:14

Great informative post on cochlear implants! Thank you for raising awareness about this.
dramrita says

August 19, 2016 at 12:40

Thanks Pamela .It’s heartbreaking but awareness can really go a very long way.
dramrita says

August 19, 2016 at 12:17

Yes Jemma the results are miraculous. Thanks for reading.
Jemma says

August 19, 2016 at 11:53

I’ve actually observed a cochlear implant operation on a few young children. The results afterwards were amazing.
Pamela says

August 18, 2016 at 21:42

It’s such a heart breaking thing to have to worry about. This post is a great resource for parents, I’m shooting it off to my sister in law who works with babies daily. Thanks!
dramrita says

August 13, 2016 at 07:30

Thanks Khansa. Glad you like it.
dramrita says

August 13, 2016 at 07:26

Yes Lakisha as a future mom,ypu are in the best place to get preventive info stored up????.Glad you found it useful
dramrita says

August 13, 2016 at 07:24

Thanks Kayvona. Glad you liked it.Do share it if you found it useful.
dramrita says

August 13, 2016 at 07:21

Thanks Anto net. Yes technology is amazing and it’s a blessing.Glad ypu liked it.
dramrita says

August 13, 2016 at 07:19

Yes awareness is the main purpose of this post.The only way to prevent is to be aware. Thanks for reading.
Jasmine Watts says

August 11, 2016 at 10:28

This is such an informative post! Thank you for raising awareness about this.
Antonet says

August 11, 2016 at 08:09

Great informative post on cochlear implants. I think it’s great to spread awareness on this issue. I would not know what to do in this situation but this helps and it’s amazing how far technology has come!
Khansa says

August 11, 2016 at 01:42

This is such a useful article. Never knew about all this info.
Lakisha says

August 10, 2016 at 17:45

Awesome post. I didn’t know much the difficulties with hearing loss and babies but now I am better informed for those around me and my future children.

Thanks ????
Kayvona says

August 10, 2016 at 17:27

Great post and great advice. I don’t know anyone with hearing loss but I do have children an definitely make sure I’m keeping up with their health
dramrita says

August 9, 2016 at 19:21

Yes we need early detection to deal with this best.Thanks for sharing.Glad you found it useful.
dramrita says

August 9, 2016 at 19:17

Yes that’s the main purpose. To raise awareness.
dramrita says

August 9, 2016 at 19:17

Cochlear Implant can produce great results .Timely intervention is the best way.
dramrita says

August 9, 2016 at 19:11

Thanks Ana,I am so glad you liked this.Yes cochlear implant is a gift to hearing challenged .It changes lives. Only problem. It’s expensive.I am glad to hear the little boy is doing well.Best wishes in his journey.
Melanie says

August 7, 2016 at 11:48

I’ve seen miracle stories regarding cochlear implants. I think it’s so important to test early for sure.
Ana says

August 7, 2016 at 11:08

Hi Amrita,

I loved your posts. They are so informative and many thanks for creating awareness in the society through your posts!
I have a friend whose nephew got Cochlear Implant last few months ago and glad to share that now he can hear properly! Thanks to all the new innovation and Medical technology advancement that we have a better cure of many diseases!
Jemma says

August 7, 2016 at 00:36

Great post! Thank you for raising awareness about this.
Huub Ricardo says

August 6, 2016 at 01:57

Early detection is really important indeed, especially with babies. Will share this with my fellow mommy friends.
dramrita says

August 6, 2016 at 00:51

Yes Izabella you are right.Early detection of problems can stop small problems from becoming giant headaches.
dramrita says

August 6, 2016 at 00:50

Yes you are right.It can change l????ves
dramrita says

August 5, 2016 at 23:50

That’s great to hear.Do share what you have learnt .Love to hear.
dramrita says

August 5, 2016 at 23:48

Good question.
Doctors don’t do all the tests routinely.Only in children who have some birth event history,or mommy had some infection like Rubella during pregnancy,that’s when we get BERA done.
Sometimes parents identify hearing problems in very young children,who are otherwise doing great.
dramrita says

August 5, 2016 at 23:46

Yes babis speak what they hear.They actually start hearing from before birth.So it’s a long journey to speech????
dramrita says

August 5, 2016 at 23:45

That’s great to hear.Why don’t you share his story .I would love to read.????
dramrita says

August 5, 2016 at 23:43

Thanks Christa for sharing your story.Glue ear needs ear tubes.But growing up helps solve the problem ????
dramrita says

August 5, 2016 at 23:41

Thanks Jasmine.That’s what I love about blogging.It’s the best way to spread awareness
Jasmine Watts says

August 5, 2016 at 17:06

This is such an informative post! I will share this post with my friend too to spread awareness.
Christa Sunderland says

August 5, 2016 at 14:03

Lots of great advice 🙂
I know I was lucky with my hearing growing up and only needed to have eartubes put in every once in awhile.
So, I hope this advice helps parents with young kids that need to be able to hear.
Thank you so much for sharing it with us 🙂
Marie Barber says

August 5, 2016 at 12:38

My friends boy has an implant its been fantastic for him.
Jessica Jones says

August 5, 2016 at 11:09

How interesting! I have a baby who’s only 1.5 years so I’m very into the speech development. Thank you for the insight on hearing, something to look into with her!
Samantha says

August 5, 2016 at 10:15

Hello! Interesting blog post. Don’t doctors do this type of checking for kids at yearly check ups?
Roxy says

August 5, 2016 at 07:59

This is great info. I’m currently studying for the mcat and just read about the ear. I was definitely curious about hearing challenges.
tp keane says

August 5, 2016 at 07:12

I’ve read about cochlear implants before and see a few videos about it. It’s truly amazing what they can do for someone, but it’s a major surgery.
Sara parker says

August 5, 2016 at 05:19

Great information about Cochlear Implant.I didn t have a slight idea about Cochlear Implant.
Izabela says

August 5, 2016 at 00:15

Great post. Early detection is important when it comes to all sorts of disabilities. It’s great to see that people who suffer from hearing loss can have it restored thanks to implants.