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.
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.
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.
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 ..
Yes Jemma the results are miraculous. Thanks for reading.
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!
Yes awareness is the main purpose of this post.The only way to prevent is to be aware. Thanks for reading.
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!
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.
Cochlear Implant can produce great results .Timely intervention is the best way.
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!
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.
Great post! Thank you for raising awareness about this.
Thanks Jasmine.That’s what I love about blogging.It’s the best way to spread awareness
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 🙂
That’s great to hear.Why don’t you share his story .I would love to read.????
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!
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.
This is great info. I’m currently studying for the mcat and just read about the ear. I was definitely curious about hearing challenges.
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.
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 ..
What a great article about an important issue. Early detection is key!
Thanks Beth.It’s encouraging that you find it useful.
Great informative post on cochlear implants! Thank you for raising awareness about this.
Thanks Jasmine
I’ve actually observed a cochlear implant operation on a few young children. The results afterwards were amazing.
Yes Jemma the results are miraculous. Thanks for reading.
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!
Thanks Pamela .It’s heartbreaking but awareness can really go a very long way.
This is such an informative post! Thank you for raising awareness about this.
Yes awareness is the main purpose of this post.The only way to prevent is to be aware. Thanks for reading.
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!
Thanks Anto net. Yes technology is amazing and it’s a blessing.Glad ypu liked it.
This is such a useful article. Never knew about all this info.
Thanks Khansa. Glad you like it.
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 ????
Yes Lakisha as a future mom,ypu are in the best place to get preventive info stored up????.Glad you found it useful
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
Thanks Kayvona. Glad you liked it.Do share it if you found it useful.
I’ve seen miracle stories regarding cochlear implants. I think it’s so important to test early for sure.
Cochlear Implant can produce great results .Timely intervention is the best way.
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!
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.
Great post! Thank you for raising awareness about this.
Yes that’s the main purpose. To raise awareness.
Early detection is really important indeed, especially with babies. Will share this with my fellow mommy friends.
Yes we need early detection to deal with this best.Thanks for sharing.Glad you found it useful.
This is such an informative post! I will share this post with my friend too to spread awareness.
Thanks Jasmine.That’s what I love about blogging.It’s the best way to spread awareness
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 🙂
Thanks Christa for sharing your story.Glue ear needs ear tubes.But growing up helps solve the problem ????
My friends boy has an implant its been fantastic for him.
That’s great to hear.Why don’t you share his story .I would love to read.????
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!
Yes babis speak what they hear.They actually start hearing from before birth.So it’s a long journey to speech????
Hello! Interesting blog post. Don’t doctors do this type of checking for kids at yearly check ups?
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.
This is great info. I’m currently studying for the mcat and just read about the ear. I was definitely curious about hearing challenges.
That’s great to hear.Do share what you have learnt .Love to hear.
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.
Yes you are right.It can change l????ves
Great information about Cochlear Implant.I didn t have a slight idea about Cochlear Implant.
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.
Yes Izabella you are right.Early detection of problems can stop small problems from becoming giant headaches.