E's Ears 101

  Many of the people in our lives had never even heard of a cochlear implant before they heard us talk about it. There is a lot of lingo and jargon associated with hearing that has entered our daily conversations lately. Noticing the increase in glazed eyes and confused head tilts, I thought it might be helpful if I wrote a blog specifically explaining a few things. I hope this helps a bit.

Audiogram: a graph used to plot the threshold of hearing

You will notice that data consists of frequency (Hz) and volume (Dbs). Sounds are presented in a sound booth and responses are recorded on the audiogram. The dotted line is what is commonly called the "speech banana" and represents the general level at which various speech sounds are registered. Os and Xs are used to represent the right and left ear when charting responses. More in depth information can easily be found by typing "understanding an audiogram" into your search engine. 

What is Sensorineural Hearing Loss?:

Hearing loss is typically classified as either CONDUCTIVE or SENSORINEURAL. Conductive hearing loss means the sound is not effectively transmitted through the outer or middle ear to the cochlea. A perforated ear drum would be an example of a cause of conductive hearing loss. E has sensorineural hearing loss. A lack of what are called "hair cells" or damaged hair cells in the cochlea are a common cause of sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is related to the function of the cochlea and the auditory nerve. MRIs are typically used to assess the inner ear function.

What is a Cochlear Implant?:

   To understand what a cochlear implant IS, you must understand what it IS NOT. A cochlear implant does not "cure" deafness. A deaf person is still deaf when the device is not in use. Not all deaf people are candidates for a cochlear implant. To be a candidate for an implant, one must have an intact and properly formed cochlea as well as a functioning auditory nerve. A cochlear implant is not a simple or default decision. An implant requires surgery and is subject to all of the inherent risks of surgery. One of the most unsettling is a slightly increased risk of contracting meningitis. Choosing to implant our child is a decision that was certainly not taken lightly. A great deal of research as well as discussions with parents of deaf or HOH children (implanted and not) and deaf or HOH adults (implanted and not) took place before making our decision for E. 

This video explains how the implant works:

There are three brands of implant available in the US from which to choose. These brands are Cochlear, Advanced Bionics, and Med El. Unlike most medical implants, the implant recipient (or parents of the recipient) are typically allowed to research the three options and choose which implant they would like to use. The following are links to each brand's website where further information on each implant can be found:

Cochlear

http://products.cochlearamericas.com/cochlear-implants/nucleus-5-system

Advanced Bionics

http://www.advancedbionics.com/com/en/products/hires_90k_implant.html

Med El

http://www.medel.com/us/show/index/id/73/titel/MAESTRO+Cochlear+Implant

The best resource I have found thus far comparing the brands is this blog post:

http://funnyoldlife.wordpress.com/cochlear-implants/choosing-a-brand/

As much information as I have presented here, this is just the tip of the iceberg on all that is available. It is easy to see why a great network of support is needed when parents are faced with such decisions for their child.