Text Box: Beyond the hearing aid which amplifies sound, the world of neurotechnology has transformed the options for those with hearing impairments in the form of Cochlear Implants. After years of development, the implants do not return hearing to “normal” but rather when used in conjunction with training, they can profoundly change communication in the hearing world. First FDA-approved in the mid-1980’s, these devices do not amplify sound, but rather replicate sound by stimulating the auditory nerve with electrical impulses. The final sound the person hears is near normal, but the understanding of those sounds must come with extensive training after receiving the device. Since the implanted electrodes destroy whatever healthy hair cells are left inside the cochlea, cochlear implants are prescribed only to deaf, near-deaf patients and the profoundly hard of hearing only. How it works The complete system consists of two basic parts; an implanted and an external component. The implanted part is surgically placed under the skin and in the cochlea. The component has a receiver and electrode systems which stimulates the auditory nerve. The external component consists of a microphone, sound processor and transmitter system housed in a small device worn or carried by the recipient. Together, the implanted and external components operate by translating sound into electrical impulses that are transmitted directly to the auditory nerve and then to the brain for processing. Benefits & Risks With approximately 30,000 recipients in the US alone, the system is not without its risks and benefits. The most profound benefit is the ability to hear, but hearing can range from near normal to not at all. However, most that receive the implant can perceive loud, medium and soft sounds. Cochlear implants are approved for both adults and children. It has been reported that adults typically react to their new implant almost immediately whereas children tend to need more time for adjustment. In the end, many recipients have regained an opportunity to function in the hearing world (See Personal Experiences: Arlene Romoff). This includes the ability to understand speech without reading lips, talking on the telephone and listening to music. Text Box: Educate: Hear It Is Text Box: Personal Experience: Arlene Romoff Text Box: I’ve had my cochlear implant for 7 ˝ years, and I am still in awe of being able to hear again. I had normal hearing until my early twenties, when my slow descent into deafness began. My hearing declined over the next 25 years, until I was left with virtually no hearing at all. As a long-time client of the League for the Hard of Hearing in New York, and a member of SHHH (Self Help for Hard of Hearing People Inc.), I kept abreast of current technology. Over the years, I used a variety of assistive listening devices, but eventually even those weren’t effective for me. I learned everything I could about cochlear implants, and met people who had them. Finally, the day came when even a simple conversation with friends wasn’t possible, and the long journey into deafness was over. The cochlear implant was my last hope at functioning effectively in the world as I knew it – the hearing world. In my book, HEAR AGAIN – Back to Life with a Cochlear Implant, a chronicle of my first year with my cochlear implant, I wrote, “About a dozen times a day, I’m reminded how my behavior is different because I can hear. I welcome human contact. I no longer walk through the day hoping that no one will speak to me. I’m a part of the world around me, not isolated in my silence or confined to my own thoughts.” Those words are as true today as the day I wrote them. Text Box: The Current Text Box: