My three-year-old niece has hearing problems. I’ve heard that there are implants that can be put in ears surgically to restore hearing. Would this be an option for someone so young?
Cochlear implants are devices that help those with hearing problems receive and process sounds and speech. And while they allow deaf people to “hear”, they do not actually restore normal hearing. The criteria used to determine suitability for cochlear implants is changing as medicine learns more about how normal hearing is processed and as hearing technologies advance.
However, children as young as a year old as well as adults may be considered suitable candidates for cochlear implants. Implants are usually used for people who are either completely or almost completely deaf in both ears and where hearing aids do not improve hearing. The person needs to be highly motivated as once implanted they must learn how to use the device effectively. Specialised assessment by an ENT surgeon, as well as CT or MRI scans, are usually needed to establish suitability for such a procedure.
What exactly is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is a small electronic device made up of two parts, one of which is surgically placed in the temporal bone surrounding the ear. This contains a receiver-stimulator, which accepts sound, decodes it and then relays it as an electrical signal to the brain. The second component is an external device which receives sound, converts it into an electrical signal, and sends it to the inner part of the cochlear implant.
Once the implant is put in can a person hear?
It usually takes three to four weeks post surgery for the implant site to heal. Once healing is complete, the external part of the cochlear implant is attached to the receiver-stimulator that was implanted behind the ear. Then the hard work starts with hearing specialists, such as audiologists, speech and language therapists and the ENT surgeon to learn to “hear” and process sound using the cochlear implant. The end result of cochlear implants will depend on a wide range of factors including the pre-surgery condition of the nerves used for hearing, the ability of the individual to re-learn how to hear, the device being used and the length of time the person was deaf prior to surgery. The full benefit can take several years of hard work and hearing rehabilitation.
