Adults
Adults must also meet a minimum set of criteria to be considered for cochlear implantation:
- 18 years of age or older
- moderate to severe/profound hearing loss with limited benefit from optimally fit amplification
- obtain limited or no benefit from traditional amplification
- spoken language as a primary mode of communication
- no medical contraindications
- strong motivation and commitment
- realistic expectations
The benefit provided by a cochlear implant CANNOT be predicted with certainty. All users, however, obtain environmental awareness and may experience improved lipreading ability, as well as gains in speech understanding through audition alone.
Children
The evaluation process of the cochlear implant is uniquely suited to the child's needs and abilities. Children and their families who decide to pursue the cochlear implant as an option must, however, meet a minimum set of criteria:
- 12 months to 17 years of age
- bilateral severe to profound SNHL (degree of hearing loss necessary is dependent upon age)
- obtain limited or no benefit from traditional amplification
- no medical contraindications
- spoken language as a primary mode of communication
- speech perception abilities that correspond to predicted aided potential
- educational placement with strong auditory component
- strong motivation and family support
- realistic expectations
Early Intervention
The ability to detect sound is critical to a child's ability to learn speech and language. The absence of such sound can have profound effects on speech and language development as well as the educational achievements of children.
Given the potential impact on a child's life, it is critical that hearing impairment in children be detected early. Similarly, early referrals to the Cochlear Implant Team are crucial to ensure that maximum benefit is obtained from the cochlear implant.
An Auditory Verbal Therapist works closely with children and their families to assess and foster children's listening and language skills. Community therapists generally provide this service.
Please note: Criteria changes regularly, so candidacy is considered on an individual basis.
