Call this a co-incidence, i have been facing a lot of little children last 3-4 months who have been diagnosed with hearing losses (severe to profound). ALL yes ALL of them have been recommended Cochlear implants. Parents are worried but want the BEST for the child. But most dont know the ground realities.
First of all, what is a cochlear implant?
according to Wikipedia,
A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Cochlear implants may help provide hearing in patients who are deaf because of damage to sensory hair cells in their cochleas.
read more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_implant#Candidates
Here its important to note:
First of all, what is a cochlear implant?
according to Wikipedia,
A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Cochlear implants may help provide hearing in patients who are deaf because of damage to sensory hair cells in their cochleas.
read more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_implant#Candidates
Here its important to note:
- not benefiting enough from other kinds of hearing aids, including latest models of high power hearing instruments and FM systems
The reason i pointed out to this point was that all these children were given basic models of analog hearing aids and were declared unfit for use of Aids and hence implant candidates!!!!!
The parents are running pillar to post to arrange for the lakhs needed to fit the implant. (atleast 9L).
Another point i want to draw attention is:
The brain develops after birth and adapts its function to the sensory input; absence of this has functional consequences for the brain, and consequently congenitally deaf children who receive cochlear implants at a young age (less than 2 years) have better success with them than congenitally deaf children who first receive the implants at a later age,[46] though the critical period for utilizing auditory information does not close completely until adolescence. One doctor has said "There is a time window during which they can get an implant and learn to speak. From the ages of two to four, that ability diminishes a little bit. And by age nine, there is zero chance that they will learn to speak properly.
Most of these children were 4 yrs and above!! The parents in their counseling were told, the child would "talk" once the implant was fitted. Not many were aware of the importance of intensive post operative therapies. parents were not aware that Implants are not magic wands out there set to make things right. The age of the child was very very important too.
Now, i am not undermining the benefits of Cochlear implant. I am opposed to rampant exploitation of technology and indirect forcing it down the throats of unsuspected non-candidates!
Here are a few points to draw home for parents:
- the decision to implant your child should not be based on emotions. Its a team work. Do check if your child is tried with a very good quality hearing aid (it takes at least a month for you to know the effect). There are wonderful products available which you can ask your therapist about.
- Do NOT decide only on basis of the BERA reports. Cross check if your child is indeed having hearing loss by observation and alternate methods (please read my article on BERA in this blog). 2 out of 3 children i saw last week were "normal hearing" children with faulty BERAs. They were recommended Implants.
- If the child is multiply handicapped then you need to think twice. Commonly seen in this case are children with Cerebral Palsy (birth related i.e. Neonatal jaundice). BERAs in these cases may indicate Hearing losses but many a times close observation indicates normal hearing. I have even seen these children fitted with power hearing aids and parents dint know why the poor child kept wailing when wearing the aids. Picture yourself with loudspeakers on your ears and blaring a loud speech!!!!
- Children with other disorders like Autistic Spectrum and mental retardation are not candidates for an implant. Very often toddlers with Sensory Processing deficits (read my article on APD) are confused with their symptoms pointing towards hearing loss. But most of the times they are not.
Though, as parents we aspire for the best for our children we also need to keep their best interests in mind before we rush to a particular solution. Please take things with a pinch of salt.
Awaiting your comments/suggestions here or email me on priyagole@gmail.com
