Sound Decisions: When Is a Cochlear Implant Right for You?

Who Is Eligible For Cochlear Implants And What Are The Main Differences In How It Works For Kids Vs. Adults? 

Ever wondered if cochlear implants are only for certain age groups? Dr. Jill Copley shatters this misconception, revealing how these remarkable devices can transform hearing abilities for patients from 9 months to well into their 90s.

This eye-opening conversation explores the comprehensive eligibility criteria for cochlear implants, which goes beyond age to include hearing loss severity, speech understanding capabilities, and anatomical considerations. Dr. Copley walks us through the process of determining candidacy, emphasizing that hearing aids are always tried first before moving toward implantation. She details how surgeons evaluate inner ear structure through imaging to ensure safe electrode placement and highlights the importance of strong support systems, especially for pediatric patients.

The episode delves deeply into the fascinating differences between children and adults receiving cochlear implants. For children, early intervention proves critical for language development, with research showing that earlier implantation helps kids stay developmentally on par with hearing peers. This advantage extends beyond communication to emotional development, educational achievement, and even future career prospects. Meanwhile, adults face unique challenges adapting to the more "electronic" sound quality of implants, potentially requiring one to two years to reach optimal speech understanding in challenging environments. Yet despite these differences, Dr. Copley shares that most adult recipients express the same sentiment: "I wish I'd done it sooner."

Whether you're considering a cochlear implant for yourself, your child, or simply want to understand this life-changing technology better, this episode provides invaluable insights into how these devices work across different age groups. Ready to explore your hearing options? Contact us to learn if cochlear implants might be right for you or your loved one.

To learn more about Total Hearing Care visit:
https://www.TotalHearingCare.com

Total Hearing Care
Multiple Locations Across the DFW Metroplex
(469) 809-4487

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Total Hearing Care

Transcript

Introduction to Total Hearing Care

Speaker 1 0:00

Welcome to the Total Hearing Care Difference where we help you experience life through better hearing. Hosted by the experts at Total Hearing Care, a leading private audiology practice serving the DFW Metroplex, we're here to provide guidance on hearing loss, tinnitus and the latest advancements in audiology. Transform your life through better hearing. Let's get started. Transform your life through better hearing.

Speaker 2 0:27

Let's get started. Cochlear implants aren't just for one age group. Dr Jill Copley shares how eligibility is determined and why timing, brain development and expectations vary between children and adults. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sophia Yvette, co-host and producer, back in the studio with Dr Jill Copley. Dr Copley, how's it going? Hi, sophia, it's great. How are you? I'm also doing great. Now let's get into it. Today. Let's talk about who benefits most from cochlear implants, who's eligible for cochlear implants and what are the main differences in how it works for kids versus adults.

Speaker 3 1:10

Okay, well, that's a big topic, so let's start first with age group.

Speaker 3 1:19

Basically, research has shown that children and adults can do well with cochlear implants.

Speaker 3 1:25

You can be well into your 90s and do well with a cochlear implant and do well with the surgery.

Speaker 3 1:31

Now kids are slightly different in that we have to look at their actual age, their minimum age, and so, to be safe, in the US you have to be nine months old before you can have a cochlear implant, and part of the eligibility is that you need to have probably a severe to profound loss and in at least one ear, as well as not be able to understand speech well, and typically that's with wearing hearing aids. So if someone has a hearing loss, we're going to attempt to use hearing aids first to see how they do with speech. If you're not doing well with speech understanding, even while wearing hearing aids, then that is a simple way of going. Maybe I need a cochlear implant, and so that's what we look at and the same as with children, we're always going to have that first phase of seeing if a hearing aid will work and there is special testing that we look at. We don't just say, oh, you couldn't hear this. There is some special testing that a cochlear implant audiologist will do to confirm that you're eligible.

Speaker 2 2:48

Now, is there any other general criteria for cochlear implant eligibility?

Speaker 3 2:56

There are some specifics actually.

Speaker 3 2:58

So when you see a surgeon, the surgeon is probably going to order some imaging to make sure that the inner ear is in stable condition in order for them to actually put the electrode array within the inner ear.

Speaker 3 3:13

You also are going to have to have some strong family support, especially when you're talking about having a baby get a cochlear implant, because the parents are going to have to help clean around the incision, make sure that they're using the cochlear implant, make sure that they're not grabbing it and pulling it off of their head. And then, of course, once you get into school, the school systems need to understand how to help you use that. The teachers are going to want to know about it. So, educationally, it's very important that a child wear a cochlear implant. That's part of why you're doing that is so they can function in the hearing world. You know this is an aside, but of course there are deaf children and they're in what we consider a deaf world, so maybe their parents aren't wanting them to actually hear. But if a parent is wanting them to hear in our hearing world, then you're going to do that to help them educationally.

Speaker 2 4:14

Now, how does early implantation affect language development in children?

Speaker 3 4:21

That is an excellent question.

Speaker 3 4:24

So the earlier we can implant, the better it's going to be.

Speaker 3 4:28

One of the things that research looks at for children which has been around for a long time, but they continue to research it is how well children will stay on par with their hearing peers if the earlier they are implanted and they are using cochlear implants, that goes along with hearing instruments as well.

Speaker 3 4:48

But so many children we do find that they have hearing loss early on. Now, with newborn hearing screenings we can really test and know early on and fit them with hearing instruments very soon after they are born, within the first couple of months, so that we can know if they're going to do well with hearing aids or if we can implant them. And so that's the main thing is educationally. You want them to be on par, you want them to get their milestones, their emotional milestones, and then further on as we age, people who have worn hearing aids when they're younger or cochlear implants when they're younger tend to get better jobs. They tend to do better educationally in college, and so we just really are working to keep those children like I said I know I keep repeating on par with their peers, but that's the big one, so that they can do just as well as a hearing child in the world.

Speaker 2 5:45

Are there unique challenges when working with adult patients who've had hearing loss for many years?

Speaker 3 5:52

on the other side of things, I think I personally think it's easier to work with kids, because kids don't necessarily babies don't know exactly what's going on and they'll just get used to it and they'll be hearing through the cochlear implant just naturally. The cochlear implant sound is going to be a little different than a hearing aid sound. It's going to be more electronic and I've found some research showing that it may take one to two years for an adult to fully incorporate that sound and get to their highest levels of understanding on the phone, understanding in background noise. Not that you're not going to do better right away you do better right away noise. Not that you're not going to do better right away. You do better right away. But in those more difficult situations it can take longer for an adult and I think the earlier you can implant a child and get them started, the easier it is going to be for them to learn how to use that sound and that's just going to be their way of life. They won't have known any differently, unlike an adult who acquires that severe to profound hearing loss, and it makes it a little harder for them to make that decision to jump to it.

Speaker 3 7:05

Although the patients that we have referred in my clinic for cochlear implants. They always come back going boy. I wish I'd done it sooner. So certainly if we refer you, there's probably a reason and you really should take it seriously with a surgeon and look into it, because it can really improve your quality of life.

Speaker 2 7:24

Wow, Now are there any differences in how the brain adapts to cochlear implants at different ages?

Speaker 3 7:33

Well, kind of. I alluded to that. But children's brains are so what we call plastic. They have a lot of neuroplasticity to them, so they are going to function much quicker, I think, and adapt much more quickly than an adult as we age. Adults don't adapt as quickly, but again, our brain research shows that adult brains do adapt, it's just slower than children. So even people in their 80s and 90s can get cochlear implants and adapt and still do much better with their hearing than they did with hearing aids, if they are eligible, if they are the right candidate for a cochlear implant.

Speaker 2 8:14

Wow. Well, Dr Copley, that was incredibly insightful. Thank you for helping us understand the full picture of cochlear implant care. We'll catch you next time on the Total Hearing Care Difference podcast.

Speaker 3 8:28

Thank you so much for talking about this important topic. I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 8:34

Thank you for listening to the Total Hearing Care Difference. If you're in the DFW Metroplex and ready to take the next step toward better hearing, call 469-809-4487 to book an appointment or visit TotalHearingCarecom, because when you hear better, you live better. See you next time.