Hearing and Audiology l
Cochlear Implants
Sevices
Provided l Cochlear
Implants l Questions
and Eduction
A cochlear
implant is a
small, complex
electronic device
that can help
to provide a
sense of sound
to a person who
is profoundly
deaf or severely
hard-of-hearing.
The implant consists
of an external
portion that
sits behind the
ear and a second
portion that
is surgically
placed under
the skin (see
figure). An implant
has the following
parts:
• A microphone, which picks up sound from the environment.
• A speech processor, which selects and arranges sounds picked up by the
microphone.
• A transmitter and receiver/stimulator, which receive signals from the
speech processor and convert them into electric impulses.
• An electrode array, which is a group of electrodes that collects the
impulses from the stimulator and sends them to different regions of the auditory
nerve.
• An implant does not restore normal hearing. Instead, it can give a deaf
person a useful representation of sounds in the environment and help him or her
to understand speech.
• How does a cochlear implant work?
A
cochlear implant
is very different
from a hearing
aid. Hearing aids
amplify sounds
so they may be
detected by damaged
ears. Cochlear
implants bypass
damaged portions
of the ear and
directly stimulate
the auditory nerve.
Signals generated
by the implant
are sent by way
of the auditory
nerve to the brain,
which recognizes
the signals as
sound. Hearing
through a cochlear
implant is different
from normal hearing
and takes time
to learn or relearn.
However, it allows
many people to
recognize warning
signals, understand
other sounds in
the environment,
and enjoy a conversation
in person or by
telephone.
• Children and adults who are deaf or severely hard-of-hearing can be fitted
for cochlear implants. According to the Food and Drug Administration’s
(FDA’s) 2005 data, nearly 100,000 people worldwide have received implants.
In the United States, roughly 22,000 adults and nearly 15,000 children have received
them.
• Adults who have lost all or most of their hearing later in life often
can benefit from cochlear implants. They often can associate the sounds made
through an implant with sounds they remember. This may help them to understand
speech without visual cues or systems such as lip reading or sign language.
• Cochlear implants, coupled with intensive post implantation therapy,
can help young children to acquire speech, language, developmental, and social
skills. Most children who receive implants are between two and six years old.
Early implantation provides exposure to sounds that can be helpful during the
critical period when children learn speech and language skills. In 2000, the
FDA lowered the age of eligibility to 12 months for one type of cochlear implant.
• Use of a cochlear implant requires both a surgical procedure and significant
therapy to learn or relearn the sense of hearing. Not everyone performs at the
same level with this device. The decision to receive an implant should involve
discussions with medical specialists, including an experienced cochlear-implant
surgeon. The process can be expensive. For example, a person’s health insurance
may cover the expense, but not always. Some individuals may choose not to have
a cochlear implant for a variety of personal reasons.
Surgical implantations are almost always safe, although complications
are a risk factor, just as with any kind of surgery. An additional
consideration is learning to interpret the sounds created by an
implant. This process takes time and practice. Speech-language
pathologists and audiologists are frequently involved in this learning
process. Prior to implantation, all of these factors need to be
considered.
Related
Links: How
the Ear Works l Child
Screening l Better
Ear Health l Hearing
Aids Noise & Hearing
Protection l Loss
of Hearing Infants |
