Cochlear Implants Decrease Your IQ?

[fyborg]

Yeah I know, that is full of bull shit. CI would NEVER help with young children. I wish, the Parents would listen to the Deaf adults who are successful their education and careers without CI.

By saying young children, how young are you talking about?
Seven?
I was implanted at the age of seven--never looked back.
I think saying that CIs "never" help young children is very strong--some do benefit from a CI at a very young age. Obviously, CIs are not for everyone, but they do benefit more people than you're implying.

 

[Cloggy]

Yeah I know, that is full of bull shit. CI would NEVER help with young children. I wish, the Parents would listen to the Deaf adults who are successful their education and careers without CI.

Kalista, Kalista,

What kind of STUPID remark is that!
Have a look at my daughter.
And don't give me "everyone's different" crap, because your statement was very clear.

It's sad that that is your attitude.
You don't have to agree about when children are implanted and start hearing, but your statement is completely NONSENSE.
In fact (And I've been waiting to used this....)

________________________________________________

Information about . . . . . [m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my daughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . how the ear works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CI-nonsense[/m][m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[/m]

 

[fyborg]

Kalista, Kalista,

What kind of STUPID remark is that!
Have a look at my daughter.
And don't give me "everyone's different" crap, because your statement was very clear.

It's sad that that is your attitude.
You don't have to agree about when children are implanted and start hearing, but your statement is completely NONSENSE.
In fact (And I've been waiting to used this....)

________________________________________________

Information about . . . . . [m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my daughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . how the ear works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CI-nonsense[/m][m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[/m]

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Kalista, Kalista,

What kind of STUPID remark is that!
Have a look at my daughter.
And don't give me "everyone's different" crap, because your statement was very clear.

It's sad that that is your attitude.
You don't have to agree about when children are implanted and start hearing, but your statement is completely NONSENSE.
In fact (And I've been waiting to used this....)

________________________________________________

Information about . . . . . [m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my daughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . how the ear works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CI-nonsense[/m][m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[/m]

I would tend to agree. Isn't it true that the younger children actually do better, because their brains are more pliable?

 

[fyborg]

I would tend to agree. Isn't it true that the younger children actually do better, because their brains are more pliable?

Yes--learning sounds when you've been deaf for years doesn't sound like the most fun venture. I only wish that I could have been implanted earlier, but...seven is still young enough to learn easily. No regrets at all!

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Yes--learning sounds when you've been deaf for years doesn't sound like the most fun venture. I only wish that I could have been implanted earlier, but...seven is still young enough to learn easily. No regrets at all!

As long as they're no regrets. That's all that counts.

I admit that I am somewhat "on the fence" about implanting children. I tend to support it when the parents know what they are getting into, and have thought it through completely. My hesitation mostly comes from the aspect that this is surgery, and I really don't believe anyone should enter that lightly; especially in a really young child . However, I also believe in giving a deaf child every advantage possible.

 

[fyborg]

As long as they're no regrets. That's all that counts.

I admit that I am somewhat "on the fence" about implanting children. I tend to support it when the parents know what they are getting into, and have thought it through completely. My hesitation mostly comes from the aspect that this is surgery, and I really don't believe anyone should enter that lightly. However, I also believe in giving a deaf child every advantage possible.

I agree, parents should consider and research it throughly. But I feel the most important thing is accepting the fact that the child will still have to work, even with the CI to make things easier. Following up on rehab is extremely important--it's the only way that CIs can be "learnt".

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Oooh. My mom took severe offense at that--"Our daughter likes to draw, and bead jewlery, and you're telling ME that she has poor fine motor skills! Change it!"

I know how that is. I can draw very very very good, but my handwriting is sooooooo horrible. I have no idea why, but that's just how it is. And I do better at typing than at handwriting, and have taken to typing everything now. Go figure.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

I agree, parents should consider and research it throughly. But I feel the most important thing is accepting the fact that the child will still have to work, even with the CI to make things easier. Following up on rehab is extremely important--it's the only way that CIs can be "learnt".

Exactly. That's another reason I tend to be on the fence with kids. I've heard of some parents thinking that they will have their kid implanted, and the moment the CI is activated, the child will be able to hear E V E R Y T H I N G, and that is NOT true. The child will aquire sounds as they go along, but you're not gonna turn the thing on, and the kid will go "Hey, MOM!"

It takes time, but as you say, a child can be very successful with a CI. But, also at the end of the day, it's important for the child to know who they are. Because, when you remove the CI, the child IS still deaf. Identity is important. I just don't think the CI ruins that identity like some people may believe. Self pride is instilled within. If you tell that child from an early age who they are, having the CI won't matter to them. They will KNOW that they are deaf and be proud of that fact.

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Yeah I know, that is full of bull shit. CI would NEVER help with young children. I wish, the Parents would listen to the Deaf adults who are successful their education and careers without CI.

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Kalista, Kalista,

What kind of STUPID remark is that!
Have a look at my daughter.
And don't give me "everyone's different" crap, because your statement was very clear.

It's sad that that is your attitude.
You don't have to agree about when children are implanted and start hearing, but your statement is completely NONSENSE.
In fact (And I've been waiting to used this....)

________________________________________________

Information about . . . . . [m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my daughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . how the ear works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CI-nonsense[/m][m] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[/m]

 

[Cloggy]

Exactly. That's another reason I tend to be on the fence with kids. I've heard of some parents thinking that they will have their kid implanted, and the moment the CI is activated, the child will be able to hear E V E R Y T H I N G, and that is NOT true. The child will aquire sounds as they go along, but you're not gonna turn the thing on, and the kid will go "Hey, MOM!"
...........

There is the feeling that the child can hear, but CI-teams are very careful with creating expectations. They are normally toned down, so any parent that finally signs the OK to have the child operated on is well aware. I do see it with people around my daughter that think that she can hear, so she understands. The misunderstanding is quickly resolved.

But I think that grownups sometimes do feel that way. People that have never heared might think that hearing also means making sense of the world. That might be a disapointment.

 

[fyborg]

I know how that is. I can draw very very very good, but my handwriting is sooooooo horrible. I have no idea why, but that's just how it is. And I do better at typing than at handwriting, and have taken to typing everything now. Go figure.

My typewritten work is more readable than my scribbles, that's for sure.
And my handwriting is worse when I'm doing an assignment for a class I dislike--maybe it's in all our heads?

 

[Cloggy]

Lucia... What were you told to expect, and - more important - what do you expect??

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Lucia... What were you told to expect, and - more important - what do you expect??

Regarding CI? My doctor said to only expect enviromental noises. But my audiologist said if I worked hard I could expect some music and some words. I will be only expecting enviromental noises to keep my expectations low, though.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

There is the feeling that the child can hear, but CI-teams are very careful with creating expectations. They are normally toned down, so any parent that finally signs the OK to have the child operated on is well aware. I do see it with people around my daughter that think that she can hear, so she understands. The misunderstanding is quickly resolved.

But I think that grownups sometimes do feel that way. People that have never heared might think that hearing also means making sense of the world. That might be a disapointment.

It all comes back to expectations. I have no problem with those who go in with realistic expectations. It just bothers me when some parents (not all), have an overblown idea of what the CI WILL do (vs CAN do) for their child.

 

[fyborg]

Regarding CI? My doctor said to only expect enviromental noises. But my audiologist said if I worked hard I could expect some music and some words. I will be only expecting enviromental noises to keep my expectations low, though.

That's reasonable--although I wonder what category you fall in vis-a-vis HA benefits? I fell in the "Gold" category, making me a borderline canidate, and they didn't want to implant me at first.

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

That's reasonable--although I wonder what category you fall in vis-a-vis HA benefits? I fell in the "Gold" category, making me a borderline canidate, and they didn't want to implant me at first.

I have NO hearing left at all. I haven't worn HAs since I was 10 - I did not have any usable hearing by the time I was 10 and did not see much use in wearing HAs, and since HAs was of no use I kept losing them, etc.

 

[fyborg]

I have NO hearing left at all. I haven't worn HAs since I was 10 - I did not have any usable hearing by the time I was 10 and did not see much use in wearing HAs, and since HAs was of no use I kept losing them, etc.

Wow. I hope that you get the needed benefit from your CI, then!

 

[Foxrac]

Wow, I'm brought Kalista to DM and she can bash about CI if she want too.

I don't want her to get banned from AD because I love her.