So, I started listening to what is known as “Books On Tape”. One thing that this approach provides is that when you are listening to a book, you are not lipreading. Taking this approach, I felt that my hearing improved. When people with problems made them known to me, I suggested this approach.
Actually, I recommend practice listening to tapes very highly for anyone who has an implant regardless of how well they may think the implant works and how well they think they are hearing. It not only works, but it provides positive enforcement to them.
I know this because I have continued to listen to audiotapes for practice for all of the eight years since I received my cochlear implant and think I continue to improve.
I sometimes explain that I was able to hear normally for over 21 years. As a result I was able to remember the different sounds and how they were combined together for specific words. But, if you lost your hearing early in life, or never heard words before; you will likely have to get a whole lot of practice before things will work out in a satisfactory manner.
It should be noted that the same logic that applies to cochlear implants then also applies to hearing aids. I mean that you have to put forth a lot of effort to make hearing aids work for you. So far, I only know of only two people who have put forth the work and effort to accomplish just that. Everyone else thinks that cochlear implants and hearing aids are supposed to work as quickly as glasses.
Recently, I was talking with my brother in hopes of enlightening his knowledge of people who are deaf and hearing-impaired. I will not belabor you with the whole conversation, but at one point I said to him that when we have children, we delight in their growth. One observation that we, as parents, make is 'Jane said her first word'. But and I mean 'but,' how did Jane reach that point? She has been hearing tones and sounds in a miraculous range since she was born.
Her first word (on average of one year after birth) means that she has just started to convert sounds into something meaningful. She will continue to do this for years. This is the process that each of us uses to learn to speak, listen and understand any language.
Do you see the conclusion you can draw from this? Hearing (or speech recognition) is a learned activity over time. We are patient with children and the span of time they require to learn normal conversion. This is completely different from the eyes. If our eyes are normal we see almost from birth. When our eyes malfunction, we adjust that malfunction with glasses. The improvement is instant.
What can we do with this information? First of all, we should explain to everyone who is considered hearing-impaired that any approach they choose to resolve their hearing problem (cochlear implants or hearing aids) means that, if we can prove that the tones of normal speech patterns have been restored to them, its then that the work really starts. They have to learn to hear again for the first time, and this may take weeks or months or even years—as happens with newborn and young children.
It is only when the often lengthy learning period is complete that hearing is "restored" or improved. It is here that I do not have such faith in my fellow humans. I believe that only a small percentage of people will "work at it" alone. I do not know why, but I do think people are like that.
All audiologists should inform their patients that while the mechanical parts provided by aids or implants are required, the individual must still go through a learning process to re-learn to hear.
In order to re-learn to hear, certain activities must take place. After the cochlear implant, or hearing aid, is in place, the audiologist should verify that the patient is hearing the tones necessary for speech as described above.
After that, there is a need for someone to guide the individual to be able to convert the tones into meaningful words. For example, one person that I know, created several tapes of words using her own voice, wrote down the words, then played the tapes until she was sure she recognized the words 90% of the time. Though it sounds simple, this process took daily practice covering a six-month period. Then she moved to "Books On Tape." On a daily basis she knows that her hearing improves.
Who will fill the role of that someone who guides people to a happy fruitful life? I don’t know. I don’t know how they will train. I don’t know how they will measure progress.
What I do know is that restoring a person’s ability to hear requires an extraordinary combination of patience, practice, technology, and support from others—essentially 'a miracle.' And that someone performing miracles is usually called 'God.'
