deaf from birth, adult age, CI

[finder]

Someone never heard anything for their whole lifetime. But is now already, let's say over 20 or 40 years old. 100% deaf on both ears since birth.

What does happen when they receive a cochlear implant? Can they learn to hear something or can't they hear anything? If they can't learn to understand spoken words, can they at least learn to hear noises?

 

[bbaseballboy123]

it'll take them a very long time to adapt to the new sense, hearing. Some people do "understand" sounds very quickly and others take forever, or never.

Just browse throughout Alldeaf because there are many journeys of adults getting implants at later age. I happen to go 15 years with my left ear unimplanted, then got it implanted, and I cant hear very well with it, but with my right, i can hear very well.

 

[finder]

it'll take them a very long time to adapt to the new sense, hearing. Some people do "understand" sounds very quickly and others take forever, or never.

Just browse throughout Alldeaf because there are many journeys of adults getting implants at later age. I happen to go 15 years with my left ear unimplanted, then got it implanted, and I cant hear very well with it, but with my right, i can hear very well.

Your case is interesting, but not the one I am looking for. I'll edit my post to add that, I mean 100% deaf on both ears. Hearing wasn't a new sense to you.

I haven't found any cases where both of their ears were 100% deaf for 20++ years from birth.

 

[drphil]

For a DEAF person to receive a Cochlear Implant-must be examined that it will be of some value after extensive effort to"pick up something new".
At the current time most/some babies born DEAF are considered for the process of Cochlear Implant.
Not everyone is suitable.

 

[green427]

Someone never heard anything for their whole lifetime. But is now already, let's say over 20 or 40 years old. 100% deaf on both ears since birth.

What does happen when they receive a cochlear implant? Can they learn to hear something or can't they hear anything? If they can't learn to understand spoken words, can they at least learn to hear noises?

My opinion: Don't bother with the CI. Baseballboy is right. Our brains are "mapped" while we are learning sounds at young ages, and once we get older, our brains can't adapt as well.

If you've been 100% deaf since birth, you've adapted to being deaf, you will always be a deaf person, so why bother trying to hear now, especially if the outcome is not going to be very good?

I did my research for a year before deciding on CI's, you need to do some too. And, do NOT let anyone pressure you into it.

 

[flip]

Someone never heard anything for their whole lifetime. But is now already, let's say over 20 or 40 years old. 100% deaf on both ears since birth.

What does happen when they receive a cochlear implant? Can they learn to hear something or can't they hear anything? If they can't learn to understand spoken words, can they at least learn to hear noises?

Deaf people are deaf for different reasons, and few are totally deaf. If you have a kind of deafness where sounds can be stimulated with CI, and hear sound for first time at that age with CI I think the changes is it would irritate you more than pleasure you. Think it's one or two posters like that here.

That person would also maybe have to pay for CI himself, when the doctor can't support an operation based on such criertias, for health insurance or state health care, depending on where you live.

If its a "successful" case I would like to know.

 

[finder]

I did my research for a year before deciding on CI's, you need to do some too. And, do NOT let anyone pressure you into it.

Oh sorry if I left the impression, that I am personally affected. Actually I am a normal hearing person with great interest in that question.

My opinion: Don't bother with the CI. Baseballboy is right. Our brains are "mapped" while we are learning sounds at young ages, and once we get older, our brains can't adapt as well.

I am interested if it actually ever worked for someone.
In comparison with seeing, visual acuity which a child never had before the age of around 5, the brain can never learn to understand later, even with best possible refraction (glasses). That is called Amblyopia.

For example, let's suppose a child has from 0 to 18 years, -5 dioptre, never glasses. Such things still happen in poor countries. With 18 he finally gets glasses with -5 dioptre. He would see a bit better. Anyway, he still wouldn't be able to see at least 70%. Amblyopia.

If that's not the same with hearing that would be somewhat remarkable. And perhaps helpful for a few people?

If you've been 100% deaf since birth, you've adapted to being deaf, you will always be a deaf person, so why bother trying to hear now, especially if the outcome is not going to be very good?

I can think of a valid reasons:
- you are going to or already became blind or sight loss
- it's interesting for the people who are deafblind right now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj5_t0wDkKQ

Also for the 100% deaf since birth case:

Under the premise that what I am asking is even possible and chances for success are high enough and disturbances not too much,

as a normal hearing person I'd feel, that even bilateral CI should be seriously considered. Even if you never can understand speech. From my viewpoint it's already a lot gain if
- you can determine if someone you can not see approaches you (someone behind you in line or someone behind you warning you not step into something)
- you can hear and locate cars, runners, bikes, siren, etc.
- it helps you with lipreading
- music perhaps

 

[bbaseballboy123]

All the sudden, I just feel like the posing above ^ sounds just like my teacher for the deaf.

 

[green427]

I just wrote up a rebuttal about people like the OP coming on board pretending to be deaf and asking hypothetical questions and wasting our time....but decided not to post it.

 

[bbaseballboy123]

I just wrote up a rebuttal about people like the OP coming on board pretending to be deaf and asking hypothetical questions and wasting our time....but decided not to post it.

Not to mention, hes/she is bias to "get an implant" as he/she argues that its the right, or best route to take. But asks us questions weather they (20+ year olds with no hearing) should get an implant. Its simply, and I dont care if i dont have the requirements the OP has, I know for a fact it is very hard for anyone that goes years (in this care, 20+) without hearing and think that CI will be very clear within a few weeks of using it. It just doesn't work like that. It'll take months to years to fully understand the sounds with a CI. However, some people may pick it up faster than others.

hint: THE ANSWER TO YOUR MAIN QUESTION IS RIGHT IN MY LAST PARAGRAPH ^

 

[Grayma]

Someone never heard anything for their whole lifetime. But is now already, let's say over 20 or 40 years old. 100% deaf on both ears since birth.

What does happen when they receive a cochlear implant? Can they learn to hear something or can't they hear anything? If they can't learn to understand spoken words, can they at least learn to hear noises?

Not all noises are worth hearing. I think about this every single day when my daughter's dog yaps his fool head off. It would be up the individual to decide if brain surgery and years of therapy and hard work is worth it just to hear noises that maybe nobody wants to have to hear.

If you're really intersted, look up CI for prelingually deaf adults.



I don't know the level of his hearing loss but Jer Loudenback, who played the father, Dennis Bravo, in the Bravo family ASL tapes (excellent resource), was born deaf to a hearing family. He is culturally Deaf, and got bilateral CI when he was around fifty.
Cochlear implants 'a miraculous thing' for family | StAugustine.com
Sounds and signs | StAugustine.com

I don't know how much it's done for him. He thought the noise of a dishwasher was beautiful music.
His main purpose in getting them seems to be because his son hurt himself and was crying but Jer did not know it. He is old enough to know if that's a good idea for himself or not.

As a hearing person, I can't imagine myself, personally, even having an opinion on whether or not anybody should have CI, let alone telling somebody else what they should do.

 

[MosDeaf]

Also for the 100% deaf since birth case:

Under the premise that what I am asking is even possible and chances for success are high enough and disturbances not too much,

as a normal hearing person I'd feel, that even bilateral CI should be seriously considered. Even if you never can understand speech. From my viewpoint it's already a lot gain if
- you can determine if someone you can not see approaches you (someone behind you in line or someone behind you warning you not step into something)
- you can hear and locate cars, runners, bikes, siren, etc.
- it helps you with lipreading
- music perhaps

"Success" is relative when discussing the efficacy of cochlear implants in pre-lingually deaf adults. Cochlear implants will enable them to perceive and recognize a few sounds, and if they are adept at lip-reading, CI's can aid in that. But they aren't suddenly going to hear music in the way that a hearing person would. To a deaf adult, music as reproduced by CI's would sound foreign, robotic and probably very jarring. The new sensations would take a very long time to get used to, and each new sound would have to be identified by a 3rd party.

As for being able to hear a warning from someone behind you or cars coming by, is that really worth the risks involved in an invasive surgical procedure which precludes any type of future cures? CI's effectively destroy the cochlea.

CI's are recommended for deaf children, late-deafened adults and deaf people who have spent most of their lives in a hearing environment by lip-reading and using powerful hearing aids. They just aren't going to do much good for a profoundly deaf adult who has never experienced sound in his/her life.

 

[finder]

All the sudden, I just feel like the posing above ^ sounds just like my teacher for the deaf.

Strange. I have no such background. Would be interesting to know if other hearing persons share my opinion.

I just wrote up a rebuttal about people like the OP coming on board pretending to be deaf and asking hypothetical questions and wasting our time....but decided not to post it.

I didn't pretend anything and stated the fact that I am not. And I wouldn't have been forced to tell. I could have pretended. No idea why you accuse me.

It's also a pity if you feel, that I am wasting time of anyone. Common rules dictate not to pretend someone you are not - what I have not done. And I haven't seen a rule here, that normal hearing people are unwelcome or hypothetical questions are forbidden. It's a big forum with a lot of topics and you don't have to be affected yourself if you are interested to join the discussion.

Not to mention, hes/she is bias to "get an implant" as he/she argues that its the right, or best route to take.

I didn't say it's right or best route to take. My personal opinion was carefully formulated under premises.

As for being able to hear a warning from someone behind you or cars coming by, is that really worth the risks involved in an invasive surgical procedure which precludes any type of future cures? CI's effectively destroy the cochlea.

Valid point.

Not all noises are worth hearing. I think about this every single day when my daughter's dog yaps his fool head off. It would be up the individual to decide if brain surgery and years of therapy and hard work is worth it just to hear noises that maybe nobody wants to have to hear.

If you're really intersted, look up CI for prelingually deaf adults.



I don't know the level of his hearing loss but Jer Loudenback, who played the father, Dennis Bravo, in the Bravo family ASL tapes (excellent resource), was born deaf to a hearing family. He is culturally Deaf, and got bilateral CI when he was around fifty.
Cochlear implants 'a miraculous thing' for family | StAugustine.com
Sounds and signs | StAugustine.com

I don't know how much it's done for him. He thought the noise of a dishwasher was beautiful music.
His main purpose in getting them seems to be because his son hurt himself and was crying but Jer did not know it. He is old enough to know if that's a good idea for himself or not.

As a hearing person, I can't imagine myself, personally, even having an opinion on whether or not anybody should have CI, let alone telling somebody else what they should do.

Thanks for your opinions and your resources, I am reading.

 

[overthepond]

I am Preligually profoundly deaf, Having had been brought up using BSL, SSE, and lipreading using with very little of my hearing through powerful hearing aids. I have never heard speech and many of environmental sounds (the medium and high pitched ones)
I was Implanted at 30, It was very difficult first 2 years but now it has settled as I learn new sounds every day.

If you haven't heard a doodle since birth, not one environmental sound, haven't wore hearing aids, i wouldn't bother. It would be more of a struggle than success. But that's the risk you have to take if you decide to go down that path.

 

[BleedingPurist]

As for being able to hear a warning from someone behind you or cars coming by, is that really worth the risks involved in an invasive surgical procedure which precludes any type of future cures? CI's effectively destroy the cochlea.

I don't disagree with your assertion that someone who has been profoundly deaf their whole life with no real experience with sound is probably not going to benefit from an implant... but I also believe they probably won't benefit from a cure either and I know this is the professional opinion as well. You can restore the hair cells in the cochlea, but the response wouldn't be all that different from getting implanted. It would be overwhelming and confusing with no off switch. Just as with an implant it would be all about learning to hear, just as a newborn toddler does, but without the pliability of the infant brain.

 

[finder]

My longer answer hasn't been approved by the moderator (yet). It was "clean", let's see... Hopefully it's not lost.

Anyway...

This video
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9SGoWnzMUw]"Hear And Now" Trailer - YouTube[/ame]
at the beginning they say that they with age around 65 have heard never anything. And at 1:40 min they switch on the implant and they can suddenly hear. Just posting, no verdict on anything.

 

[MosDeaf]

I don't disagree with your assertion that someone who has been profoundly deaf their whole life with no real experience with sound is probably not going to benefit from an implant... but I also believe they probably won't benefit from a cure either and I know this is the professional opinion as well. You can restore the hair cells in the cochlea, but the response wouldn't be all that different from getting implanted. It would be overwhelming and confusing with no off switch. Just as with an implant it would be all about learning to hear, just as a newborn toddler does, but without the pliability of the infant brain.

Good point, you are absolutely right. The same issues of trying to "learn how to hear" would affect a prelingually deaf person whether with a cochlear implant or some kind of future stem cell cure. Interpretation and comprehension of sounds would prove challenging, even with a fully-functioning cochlea. Also, its a case of "use it or lose it" in terms of the auditory nerve and neurons. If those neurons around the auditory nerve are not stimulated, they get repurposed by the brain for use in other functions. The result is that connections between the cochlea and the brain are damaged or lost.

 

[green427]

I didn't pretend anything and stated the fact that I am not. And I wouldn't have been forced to tell. I could have pretended. No idea why you accuse me.

Well, there is a reason why you went back to your original post and deleted all incriminating evidence....because it was misleading.

Many of us take the time to reply to posts, and we want to help others, if people really don't need our help and ask for it anyway, we've wasted our time.

 

[cdmeggers]

My longer answer hasn't been approved by the moderator (yet). It was "clean", let's see... Hopefully it's not lost.

Anyway...

This video
"Hear And Now" Trailer - YouTube
at the beginning they say that they with age around 65 have heard never anything. And at 1:40 min they switch on the implant and they can suddenly hear. Just posting, no verdict on anything.

I've seen this full documentary. The lady later had a lot of trouble with her implant, not hearing anything, while her husband was really making progress with his CI. I can't remember if the CI ever improved for the lady or not.

 

[MosDeaf]

This video
"Hear And Now" Trailer - YouTube
at the beginning they say that they with age around 65 have heard never anything. And at 1:40 min they switch on the implant and they can suddenly hear. Just posting, no verdict on anything.

If you actually watched the movie, you'd know that the woman derived virtually no benefit from her CI. The man could make out sounds such as birds chirping, but it's not like he suddenly had normal hearing when the CI was turned on. And these were 2 people who grew up in hearing households, reading lips and speaking to communicate. Most people born in the last 30 years with complete deafness from birth are part of the Deaf community, so they have spent their lives signing, as opposed to speaking and reading lips. For people like that, CIs typically aren't worth the trouble.

Its a personal choice, but the satisfaction rate amongst prelingually deaf individuals implanted as adults is pretty low.