Cochlear Implants: Enabling the Deaf to Hear
Cochlear Implants: Enabling the Deaf to Hear
Imagine,a device that allows a profoundly deaf child to hear! It's a true modern-day miracle; children who used to hear nothing at all are now part of the hearing world, and can carry on normal conversations with people whose voices they've never heard before. Host Dr. Winnie King shows us an amazing device called the cochlear implant, and introduces us to a 22-year-old young man who, at the age of 17, heard sounds for the first time in his life. Meet the doctors who implant the device, the children and parents whose lives have been transformed by it, and the therapists who lead them through the difficult but rewarding process that brings the world of sound to life.
Guests:
Patricia Chute, PhD - Audiologist, Head of Research, Children's Hearing Institute, New York, NY; Co-Director, Network of Educators of Children with Cochlear Implants (NECCI); Associate Professor Audiology, Mercy College, Westchester, NY; Co-Author, A Parent's Guide to Cochlear Implants
Andrea Vambutas, MD - Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System; Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Evan Curtis - Cochlear Implant Recipient
Jamie Curtis - Evan's Mother
Shehzaad Zaman - Age 22, Recipient of Cochlear Implant at age 17
Tips:
Ideal Criteria for a Cochlear Implant Candidate
- Minimum suggested age: 12 months or older
- No medical reasons to avoid surgery
- Child should be deaf in both ears
- Family must be willing to do therapy
- Strong support should be available at home and school
Risks of surgery:
There are slight risks of facial paralysis, meningitis, and tinitis.
Make sure your child's hearing is tested at birth. The earlier you start to deal with a hearing loss problem, the more successful treatments will be for your child.
Resources:
The Children's Hearing Institute
Phone: 212-605-3793
http://www.hearing.org/Alexander Graham Bell Association
Phone: 202-337-5220
TTY: 202-337-5221
Fax: 202-337-8314
www.agbell.orgLaurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
http://Clerccenter2.gallaudet.edu/kidsworlddeafnet
