07-23-2007

CI babies grow up to be as hearing as Hearings?

The on-going debate on CI and language/method choice (ASL vs AVT) is interesting.  I decided to look for information that gives me a better picture about CI.  At the end of this blog, there is a link to a website that encourages parents to look at all options and make a decision for their child.

The Criteria for getting CI implanted:

Currently CI’s are approved by FDA for children 12 months of age or older.

Exception: if child’s deafness is due to meningitis, child can be implanted before reaching 12 months to insure adequate insertion of the electrodes into the cochlea before the bony growth fills the cochlea.

Children between 12 mos and 18 mos must have Profound, Sensorineural hearing loss of 90 db or greater.

Children of 18 months of age and older:  Severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss of 70 db or greater.  The site also says that the child should be in a setting where the development of auditory skills is emphasized.

What are the limitations and risks?

MRI - unless the person has a removable magnet, MRI cannot be performed.

Then it says Can’t have Electrosurgery or diathermy in the area of implanted portion of CI, Electroconvulsive therapy (they still do that??)  and lonizing radiation therapy (Didn’t bother to look that up).

Static electricity can potentially damage the electrical components of the implant system or erase programs that are saved to the speech processor(SP).  So, parents should remove the SP when a child is playing on the slides or in plastic ball pits (like McDonalds play land).  They have to avoid contact with the speech processor until they have touched the child. 

Surgical risks include slight chance of damage to the facial nerve or the two nerves that pass through the middle ear space.

Risk of anesthesia is slightly higher in infants and young children as compared to adults.

Some children experienced balance function for a short period after surgery

And some have reported an increase of tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

The CI is unaffected by running, swimming, or any normal activity.  However, one should wear a helmet if bicycling, skateboarding or roller skating to help prevent damage to the device in the event the child falls.

The processor must be removed when swimming or engaging in other activities where the external parts could get wet.

I’m just thinking to myself - wow wow! it’s so much like me wearing a hearing aid in some respects.  I have to take it off when I swim and I become more deafer!  Then, when I do other activities, I take the risk If I fall, I will damage my hearing aid and possibly hurt my ears.

I just cannot believe that they are encouraging a child with 70 db loss to get a CI!  this is just crazy!  although I had 55 db in one ear and 65 db in another, my db in both ears have gone down to 65/75.  I can use the phone with just about anybody except there are difficulties when speaking to people with certain accent and certain low low bass type of voice.  This is just mind blowing that they would do that and take away good residual hearing.  Most hearing aids will bring it up to 30 to 50 db, if not higher.  I know with speech and ASL training, any child with that much hearing will be able to function in the hearing world just fine.

I’m thinking…no way a child lives his/her life just like a hearing person!  Still deaf!   When that child grows up, their peers will react differently and they will know they are different because they have to do things differently.  Imagine a child goes to a water park with his friends.  He has to take the external device off.  Now he is deaf.  Will he be on an equal footing with his friends?  will he be able to participate as a hearing person?  no!

Imagine a child goes roller skating with his peers and they all are skating around the rink without their helmet and this CI child is wearing a helmet, obviously different from his peers. 

The site does encourage an environment where auditory skills are “EMPHASIZED”.  No where does it say “exclusively”.  Makes sense, if you wish your child to have speech with CI, then that is what should be done.  Nothing wrong with adding ASL to the mix.

Decisions of some parents to have their child implanted is theirs and theirs alone.  However, parents should introduce ASL to their child.  

It’s no wonder many CI implantees eventually found their rightful place with the deaf as they get older. 

The source:
http://www.babyhearing.org/HearingAmplification/Cochlear/index.asp

Another interesting page within the same site regarding infant to 3 program and it involves parents making decisions and it includes ASL as one of several choice for parents to make decision on which communication method to use:
http://www.babyhearing.org/LanguageLearning/index.asp

Posted by critic in Deaf Issues | RSS 2.0

5 Responses to “CI babies grow up to be as hearing as Hearings?”
  1. Barb DiGi Says:

    Great post! Thanks for providing the resources. Today, I am still engaging in a dialogue with some hearing parents of implanted children on my blog and your feedback to them will be invaluable if you can.

  2. C Says:

    Thanks.

    I’m on my lunch break right now. I’ll try to do that later on today after work. If I see someone has responded well, usually I just leave it alone. But, I’ll keep an eye on the comments on your blog.

  3. Deb Ann Says:

    Do you think it would be better if they wait until they are 12 years old, so they can have some thing to think over if they really wanted to have a Cochlear implant or not…I think the kids have a right to choose at that age. If a deaf kid can speak with their hearing aides, she or he would want to have a cochlear implants, that will be fine as long as they know ASL.

  4. C Says:

    This is an old post but I’ll respond to you anyway…I think that everyone should make decision on their own if they want it or not. But many parents think they have the right to decide for their child.

    This post was about CI babies, when they grow up are they as “hearing” as their peers? My point was I didn’t think so because they are still deaf in many ways. So, having a CI does not make one hearing.

    I am not too crazy about parents implanting their babies unless it is a 100% cure and CI is not at all. We can’t do much except try to advocate for all deaf babies/children and try to educate the public about the reality of CI. 12 is a good age for one to decide if he/she wants CI. Many parents are devastated when they find out their baby is deaf and they would do ANYTHING to make their baby perfect.

  5. Deb Ann Says:

    Yes, that is very true about parents who wanted to do what is best for their deaf baby, but hearies need to be taught in a depth of everything that is related to CI. I wish there would be an interview on PBS, so they can watch the show…and learn about the facts! Before they happen to have a deaf baby.
    Oh, thank you for taking your time to reply and I don’t mind if it’s an old post. =)
    You may want to check my website about my original poetry about the innocent deaf children implanted…Just click at my name (Deb Ann)
    Thanks again, C!

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