Cochlear Implant Education
Learning Center for Parents: Increasing Your Knowledge to Better Serve Your
Child
Introduction
This section will help show you, the parent of a hearing impaired child, how to
increase your knowledge about cochlear implants and the care associated with them.
Your familiarity with this subject makes a tremendous difference in your child's
progress. Although your child receives care from experienced professionals such as
audiologists and therapists, ultimately you are the child's primary advocate for
success. This information gives you the confidence to make the proper decisions that
are so vital for your child's successful development.
The Approach
This guide focuses primarily on information relating to the method that is called
the “Auditory-Verbal” approach. The Auditory-Verbal approach promotes the use of
hearing devices for listening and the use of spoken language for communication. This
method is preferred simply because it works the best. We have seen it to be
consistently successful in teaching hearing impaired children to listen and speak
as well as normal hearing children. This method works especially well in children
with cochlear implants. It is the way that most cochlear implant children are being
trained today. By focusing on listening and learning language, the child develops on
par with their normal-hearing peers and is successfully integrated as fully
functioning members of society.
Sources of Information
This guide lists recommended sources of information that present information in a
clear, straight forward manner, and they are listed in the specific categories
below. In general, when searching for information related to the topic of hearing
loss in children, there are some guidelines to keep in mind.
A. Internet Websites
The Internet is a valuable source of information for all topics under the sun, and
the same is true with regards to information regarding this subject. Keep in mind a
few pointers when looking around online:
- How old is the information? Many websites have information that is very outdated.
Check the date of the posting to make sure it is current.
- Is the author of the same opinion as you? Just about every opinion out there has
a website promoting their theories. Sniff around the site first before you take any
of the information too seriously. Make certain that the site accepts the views of
the method that you are using for your child, and that the writer is qualified to
present the information.
- Is the information of any value to you? The information should be presented in
clear, uncluttered format. The material should be easy to understand, and should
catch your interest. Dry, technical articles are of little benefit to most parents,
and should be avoided.
B. Membership Organizations
Many parents join membership organizations and other associations for the hearing
and speech impaired. These can be a great source of information and guidance in
caring for your child. Many of these organizations have members all over North
America, and some even span the globe.
It is important to make sure the organization agrees with the methods you have
adopted in the care of your hearing impaired child. Beware of the organizations that
support the concept of “the deaf culture”, as they tend to discourage the use of
cochlear implants.
C. Support Groups
Support Groups made up of similarly situated parents of young cochlear implant
children are probably the most valuable source of information. These provide a way
for you to interact with each other and to hear what regular people just like you
have experienced with their children. We have found these forums to be extremely
helpful for parents, not only by the knowledge gained, but also by sharing the
experience emotionally with one another. This kind of support is something that one
can never fully receive from the professionals. At the cochlear implant support
meetings, we have found that people are very happy to share their experiences with
each other as the common bond between everyone connects quite easily.
To find a support group in your area, ask your audiologist. If you live away from
any kind of organized group, you can try the online forums in our list.
View our Web Resources for hearing impairment and cochlear implants.
|
