Both the audiologist as well as the implant physician are knowledgeable in the process and would be happy to address additional questions you may have regarding this medical procedure. Post-operative outcomes for cochlear implant recipients can take many recognizable forms, including sound awareness known as detection at the most basic level to open-set speech recognition in noise, which represents the pinnacle of achievement for cochlear implant users.
Patients who developed spoken speech prior to the onset of profound hearing loss are routinely identified as post-lingually deafened. A patient with this background in hearing is different from a patient whose primary means of communication is through sign language or other forms of manual and visual communication. Research has shown auditory verbal therapy and speech rehabilitation to be viable means for improving speech perception outcomes for most cochlear implant recipients.
Referral for these services is optional for each patient and can be discussed with your audiologist as we are supportive of this decision. Both post-lingual as a well as pre-lingual patients can be excellent candidates for cochlear implantation and we review each patient as a unique and separate case. Cochlear implantation is a life-changing experience and we believe in serving all of our patients to the best of our knowledge and expertise. Cochlear implantation and its benefit to individuals who qualify is a well-documented medical procedure.
Medicaid in contrast does not provide monetary coverage for the implant procedure for those patients who are 21 years of age or older. I was a good student, but worked so hard to learn the material. In college I had two hearing aids, note takers, and a front row seat to help me hear the lectures.
Although I wore good hearing aids, I was not aware of additional technology that could have helped me hear more easily. I was thirty years old before an audiologist introduced me to FM technology. It was an amazing experience at the time, but at the same time very frustrating that no one had told me about this technology sooner, as communication would have been so much easier for me. I wanted to go into the field of audiology to help people with hearing loss, but found it very difficult to break into the field.
I was discouraged by others as they did not think I could be successful in clinical settings. He believed that someone with hearing loss could be a great contributor to the profession and that audiology was more than just knowing how to diagnosis hearing loss. It is about understanding the patient needs and helping finding solutions. I then worked in the private sector for two years while earning my AuD degree. During this time, my hearing loss continued to decline, but fortunately hearing aid and FM technology got better.
However, by the birth of my second child, I was considered profoundly deaf. Now, after years of lip-reading, being fitted and re-fitted for hearing aids, and no longer being able to communicate by phone, I decided it was time for me to get a cochlear implant. Stephanie Sjoblad discusses her own experience with hearing loss and getting a cochlear implant; Kathryn Wilson , MA, Assistant Professor, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, discusses her therapy work with Stephanie Sjoblad after the cochlear implant.
Craig Buchman. It was a minute surgery and I went home the same day. My bandage was removed after five days. When the implant is activated, people have reported the sound is very robotic and unnatural.
It is also usually very unusual for one to understand speech. However, during my cochlear implant activation, I was able to understand complete sentences. I knew then my life was only going to get better. These can be red flags that help target therapy and identify problems early. But at the moment I put on my implant, his speech turns into words.
As an audiologist with hearing loss, I now know there are lots of solutions for people with hearing loss.
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