Anti Opinion:I am hearing but am very much opposed to cochlear implants. Parents who have deaf children need to not only talk to doctors but also the deaf community before they make their decision. Doctors in this case play god, well they are not god and just because they go to medical school does not mean they know everything or know what is best. Tehy will tell you not to teach your child sign language because it is a crutch, well they are wrong. Teaching your child sign lang. will help them to communicate better without getting frustrated that they cannot speak or get their point accross. These parents not only need to look up info on the internet which will be almost all positive info but they need to speak with deaf people as well as learn deaf culture, what the deaf people have been through to get where they are today. If you are deaf you can go to school you can get a job you can achieve anything a hearing person can. Being deaf is not an embarrasment, and does not mean that you are not normal. It means you cherish life and instead of hearin with your ears you hear visually. The deaf community is incredible they will tell you the truth, they are not onesided, they are honest. Either way you go just make sure to teach your child sign language, because that is the best of both worlds which you parents claim to be giving your child when you make the decision to implant them, so do it give them the best by teaching them their native language, sign language.It will beinfit them as well as you, trust me.
Considering: I read some opinions in this article, I am researching the variety of the communication for my essay. And, I am deaf and have my deaf family too. I am trying to find many choices as possible to choose right choice. I interviewed many people related to digital aids, deaf people, and Cochelar Implants. I have no virtually data for who are deaf and raised and have primary communication as ASL who have cochelar implant. Only that I have data is who are deaf and would be blind eventually. Now, I am stuck since the potential of the cochelar implants exists in the experience of hearing the sounds. For instance, if a person got a hearing loss and his prior experience will reinforce the cochelar implant. So, I already have no experience with hearing sounds except using the old devices when I was a small child. It means that my hearing is equilivant to a baby's hearing since I don't have any audiory feedback during my lifetime. The reasons that I want to try are pure curiousity, and for my future to work and communicate with people. For my decision, I am not sure yet since I have little data about the percentage of success for the deaf people.
Pro: For the most part, it seems that ppl with CI are happy with them and those who aren't, are not bc they had different expectations to what hearing would sound like. I believe the headache bit depends on each person, some ppl may have headaches and noise in the ears (tinnitus) due to CI's. But I think research shows that as being rare too. I am a candidate for CI, and my surgery date is set to be May 21st. I've made it my own decision to get this done. I am postlingually HOH, so I do not know how to sign. I can read lips and depend on both hearing and lip-reading to communicate. Hearing aids have been a great help to my self development since I first got them in college. I became less afraid to talk to ppl, to be involved in group activities, and I am an avid lover of competitive ballroom dancing which I've been doing for years. Being able to hear gives you opportunities to explore things requiring hearing in this hearing world. However, silence is also welcomed esp. in a city like NY where I live when it's still loud and bustling sometimes at 1am in the morning. I definitely sleep better than my hearing friends in loud environments :).
For me, it was freedom from wearing hearing aids and those ^%$%&(*& earmolds. Within a year, I adapted to a more full, 3-dimensional sound that only the implant could provide. There are times I feel like I'm surrounded by Dolby Stereo sound. I was able to retire my hearing aid for good.
In fact, it's helped my career, for I teach at a local college and I'm better able to communicate. One side effect is that my ear tends to ache a lot - it's more of a deep nerve pain that is the result of oversimulation or hearing too much. I do get headaches all the times, but it's more genetic than the implant's fault. It's true that there are times when I have a headache and the sound map aggravates it, but I've learned to live with it and just turn the sound down a notch.
I do have another problem - I wear glasses and the BTE ( behind the ear ) processor, so lately, my ear and behind the ear aches from all the pressure of the glasses and BTE.
