Results of Cochlear Implantation in Children
The results of cochlear implantation in children are variable, but most can function in the hearing world. This unique video shows nine children with cochlear implants who were implanted at different ages (younger is better), with different degrees of pre-implant hearing experience, and differing duration of implant use. The youngest, at 2 years old, can imitate phonemes one year after implantation. One child in this video, deaf since birth and implanted late at age 5 has excellent listening and intelligible but imperfect speech at age 7. Others have perfect speech which is indistinguishable from hearing children. Cochlear implants work!
Parents of children with cochlear implants relate their experiences before and after implantation
Parents of children with newly discovered hearing loss are in crisis and share much in common: they know little about hearing loss and it’s treatment, they are getting information from many people that is often contradictory, and they are forced to make important decisions. Knowing that hearing loss is a treatable medical problem and that if they want their child to hear and speak well they need a listening and spoken language classroom school rather than a signing school makes it easier for them to manage the crisis and advocate for their child. Note the one father who is prepared for the Individual Education Plan(IEP) meetings “loaded for bear”, meaning he is not going to let anyone tell him his child needs a signing classroom if their goal is listening and spoken language for their child.
Education options for your deaf infant. Making sense of it all
This video is intended to help parents of infants born with hearing loss understand the confusing and often contradictory advice they receive from early intervention workers, educators, audiologists and physicians.
Understanding education options is easy: if you have a plan with your medical team with a goal of hearing and speaking then your child belongs in a listening and spoken language school and preschool. If your doctor is telling you that hearing and speaking may not be possible a signing education is necessary. Without a medical plan understanding education options for deaf children is not easy. Parents must know their goals and their rights to get what they want for their children. Do you have questions about education? Ask your medical team.
It is common for parents to meet deaf educators who want to enroll their hearing impaired child into a signing school. Parents will hear from this group that a broadening cultural experience awaits in Deaf culture and that all will be fine. It is never revealed that even today children graduate from Deaf schools with 4th-5th grade reading levels. Parents are also often told that cochlear implants don’t work well. This used to be true 30 years ago. Thirty years ago the initial results of implantation were not consistently good. Today results are consistently good and getting better.
Oberkotter Foundation History Film
In 2016, the Oberkotter Foundation celebrated its 30th year supporting listening and spoken language opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. In honor of the occasion, the Trustees created a short film celebrating Paul, Louise and Mildie’s journey and the impact that journey has had on the Foundation’s mission and vision. This short film demonstrates speech and education outcomes of Listening and Spoken Language strategies in children educated today and decades ago.
A New Day
This introductory film about the well established Clarke Schools is informative and offers a glimpse into the Listening and Spoken Classroom environment.
http://www.clarkeschools.org/welcome
1-3-6!
1-3-6 refers to the rigid early timeline for identification, diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss in infants that leads to the best language outcomes, and that is recommended by professional associations around the world.
1-3-6 stands for:
Detection of hearing loss by 1 month of age.
Diagnosis of hearing loss by 3 months of age.
Intervention(treatment) of hearing loss by 6 months of age.
This timeline is important! Under no circumstances should you ever wait a while to see how your child does. This is not problem that can be kicked down the road. This is because there are Critical Periods for auditory brain development before the age of 2 that can never be accessed later. Earlier is better. Act today!
Is your child with hearing loss already older than 2? Do not despair. Good results are still possible; it only the very best results that are not. Useful speech and language can still develop later with proper intervention and educational support. See your doctor or call us soon!
To more learn about 1-3-6 and to see the difference in speech outcomes from early and late identified children look at this excellent module from the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management: Click here to view the module(this takes about 8 minutes to view)
IWantmybabytohear 