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
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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Total Hearing Care Difference where we
help you experience lifethrough better hearing.
Hosted by the experts at TotalHearing Care, a leading private
audiology practice serving theDFW Metroplex, we're here to
provide guidance on hearing loss, tinnitus and the latest
advancements in audiology.
Transform your life throughbetter hearing.

(00:22):
Let's get started.
Transform your life throughbetter hearing.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Let's get started.
Cochlear implants aren't justfor one age group.
Dr Jill Copley shares howeligibility is determined and
why timing, brain developmentand expectations vary between
children and adults.
Welcome back everyone.
I'm Sophia Yvette, co-host andproducer, back in the studio
with Dr Jill Copley.

(00:48):
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 benefitsmost from cochlear implants,
who's eligible for cochlearimplants and what are the main
differences in how it works forkids versus adults.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Okay, well, that's a big topic, so let's start first
with age group.
Basically, research has shownthat children and adults can do
well with cochlear implants.
You can be well into your 90sand do well with a cochlear
implant and do well with thesurgery.

(01:31):
Now kids are slightly differentin 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 oldbefore you can have a cochlear
implant, and part of theeligibility is that you need to
have probably a severe toprofound loss and in at least

(01:56):
one ear, as well as not be ableto understand speech well, and
typically that's with wearinghearing aids.
So if someone has a hearingloss, we're going to attempt to
use hearing aids first to seehow they do with speech.
If you're not doing well withspeech understanding, even while

(02:19):
wearing hearing aids, then thatis 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 ahearing aid will work and there
is special testing that we lookat.
We don't just say, oh, youcouldn't hear this.

(02:40):
There is some special testingthat a cochlear implant
audiologist will do to confirmthat you're eligible.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
Now, is there any other general criteria for
cochlear implant eligibility?

Speaker 3 (02:56):
There are some specifics actually.
So when you see a surgeon, thesurgeon is probably going to
order some imaging to make surethat the inner ear is in stable
condition in order for them toactually put the electrode array
within the inner ear.
You also are going to have tohave some strong family support,

(03:17):
especially when you're talkingabout having a baby get a
cochlear implant, because theparents are going to have to
help clean around the incision,make sure that they're using the
cochlear implant, make surethat they're not grabbing it and
pulling it off of their head.
And then, of course, once youget into school, the school

(03:38):
systems need to understand howto help you use that.
The teachers are going to wantto know about it.
So, educationally, it's veryimportant that a child wear a
cochlear implant.
That's part of why you're doingthat is so they can function in
the hearing world.
You know this is an aside, butof course there are deaf
children and they're in what weconsider a deaf world, so maybe

(04:01):
their parents aren't wantingthem to actually hear.
But if a parent is wanting themto hear in our hearing world,
then you're going to do that tohelp them educationally.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Now, how does early implantation affect language
development in children?

Speaker 3 (04:21):
That is an excellent question.
So the earlier we can implant,the better it's going to be.
One of the things that researchlooks at for children which has
been around for a long time, butthey continue to research it is
how well children will stay onpar with their hearing peers if
the earlier they are implantedand they are using cochlear

(04:45):
implants, that goes along withhearing instruments as well.
But so many children we do findthat they have hearing loss
early on.
Now, with newborn hearingscreenings we can really test
and know early on and fit themwith hearing instruments very
soon after they are born, withinthe first couple of months, so

(05:05):
that we can know if they'regoing to do well with hearing
aids or if we can implant them.
And so that's the main thing iseducationally.
You want them to be on par, youwant them to get their
milestones, their emotionalmilestones, and then further on
as we age, people who have wornhearing aids when they're
younger or cochlear implantswhen they're younger tend to get

(05:28):
better jobs.
They tend to do bettereducationally in college, and so
we just really are working tokeep those children like I said
I know I keep repeating on parwith their peers, but that's the
big one, so that they can dojust as well as a hearing child
in the world.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
Are there unique challenges when working with
adult patients who've hadhearing loss for many years?

Speaker 3 (05:52):
on the other side of things, I think I personally
think it's easier to work withkids, because kids don't
necessarily babies don't knowexactly what's going on and
they'll just get used to it andthey'll be hearing through the
cochlear implant just naturally.
The cochlear implant sound isgoing to be a little different

(06:15):
than a hearing aid sound.
It's going to be moreelectronic and I've found some
research showing that it maytake one to two years for an
adult to fully incorporate thatsound and get to their highest
levels of understanding on thephone, understanding in
background noise.
Not that you're not going to dobetter right away you do better

(06:36):
right away noise.
Not that you're not going to dobetter right away.
You do better right away.
But in those more difficultsituations it can take longer
for an adult and I think theearlier you can implant a child
and get them started, the easierit is going to be for them to
learn how to use that sound andthat's just going to be their
way of life.
They won't have known anydifferently, unlike an adult who

(06:57):
acquires that severe toprofound hearing loss, and it
makes it a little harder forthem to make that decision to
jump to it.
Although the patients that wehave 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 itseriously with a surgeon and

(07:19):
look into it, because it canreally improve your quality of
life.

Speaker 2 (07:24):
Wow, Now are there any differences in how the brain
adapts to cochlear implants atdifferent ages?

Speaker 3 (07:33):
Well, kind of.
I alluded to that.
But children's brains are sowhat we call plastic.
They have a lot ofneuroplasticity to them, so they
are going to function muchquicker, I think, and adapt much
more quickly than an adult aswe age.
Adults don't adapt as quickly,but again, our brain research

(07:54):
shows that adult brains do adapt, it's just slower than children
.
So even people in their 80s and90s can get cochlear implants
and adapt and still do muchbetter with their hearing than
they did with hearing aids, ifthey are eligible, if they are
the right candidate for acochlear implant.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
Wow.
Well, Dr Copley, that wasincredibly insightful.
Thank you for helping usunderstand the full picture of
cochlear implant care.
We'll catch you next time onthe Total Hearing Care
Difference podcast.

Speaker 3 (08:28):
Thank you so much for talking about this important
topic.
I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (08:34):
Thank you for listening to the Total Hearing
Care Difference.
If you're in the DFW Metroplexand ready to take the next step
toward better hearing, call469-809-4487 to book an
appointment or visitTotalHearingCarecom, because
when you hear better, you livebetter.
See you next time.