Cochlear Implants: A Closer Look 11/13/2006

What is a Cochlear Implant (CI)? According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), a cochlear implant is a small, electronic device that has the ability to provide a sense of sound to someone who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing (“Cochlear Implants”, 2006).

How does the implant work?  The microphone picks up the sound.  The speech processor codes the sounds picked up by the microphone.  The transmitter and receiver receive the signals and convert them into electrical impulses.  The electrode array receives the impulses and delivers them to the VIII (Auditory) Nerve.

How does the implant work? (cont.)  Although CIs do not restore a persons’ hearing to normal, they can allow people to better use and understand sound.  Cochlear Implants avoid the damaged part of the ear and directly stimulate the nerve.  These signals are then sent to the brain where they are interpreted into sound.

This illustration shows an ear with a cochlear implant; which includes a microphone, speech processor, transmitter, receiver/stimulator, and an electrode array (“CochlearImplants”,2006). Credit: Medical illustrations by NIH, Medical Arts & Photography Branch

Who can get a CI?  Both adults and children who are profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing can receive CIs; although this additionally depends on individual circumstances.  Currently, implant candidates must have a trial period wearing hearing aids, monitoring the speech and language development. Specifically in children, if they plateau in their development then implantation is considered (Reed, 2005).  The FDA first approved cochlear implants for children two years and older in 1990 (Geers, 2006).

Who can get a CI?  In 2000, the FDA lowered the implant age of eligibility to 12 months old  Because of earlier diagnosis of hearing loss, due to newborn hearing screenings, the average age of cochlear implantation has decreased (Geers, 2006).

Who can get a CI? (cont.)  According to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) 2005 statistics, an estimated 22,000 adults and 15,000 children had received Cochlear Implants (“Cochlear Implants”, 2006).

From these statistics you can see how important it truly is to be educated about Cochlear Implants before seeking one out. Early intervention and knowledge about the device itself is very valuable. Receiving a Cochlear Implant is a very thorough and complicated process, which requires tremendous dedication from both the family and the CI user. It is also important to keep in mind that not everyone will be a candidate for a Cochlear Implant. If you are interested in obtaining more information about Cochlear Implants contact your local audiologist, Speech-language pathologist, or ENT.

References Cochlear Implants. (2006,May). Retrieved November 10, 2006 from National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders Web site: Geers, A. (2006). Factors influencing spoken language outcomes in children following early cochlear implantation. Advances in Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 64, Retrieved September 25, 2006, from the MEDLINE database. Reed, V.A. (2005). An introduction to children with language disorders (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.