What I am not comfortable with is the fact that my family was COMPLETELY misrepresented here, and I had no idea about it. I had no opportunity to clarify anything here while everyone was talking about it. I am sure each of you would want the same opportunity should it have been your child or yourself.
I don't blame you for getting frustrated with the way the topic of your childs deafness was represented from the start here. I believe it had to do with a recent study posted saying 'some' babies/toddlers recover 'some' hearing (unaided). Your blog was supposedly proof that hearing does recover, having read it I'd say it's proof that hard work and one to one interaction can improve what he is hearing with HA's but his hearing unaided hasn't changed. Not sure why some people read it as his hearing improved.
It's nice to see that your son is responding to the extent he is with his HA's. But since he has maxed out the strongest aides I can see a reason to look into a CI. His hearing is not coming back and he does well with a HA the possibilities with an implant could be even better. Yeah there are some that don't do as well, (be they adult or children) but I very much doubt that anyone gets nothing.
The controversy with children seems to be that some still do not do well with listening skills and fall behind when raised orally only (and some do and many don't, much probably depends on how well the parents are at getting needed services in school through the IEP process), I look at the CI as a wonderful tool for parents as it helps them keep their children at home and raise them themselves vs sending them to a boarding school, not everyone can move to be closer to a deaf school.
It also opens up the world of extended family to a deaf/hoh person because if they understand and can speak they can interact with their extended family, especially those they only see infrequently, without having to sit there like a lump waiting for an immediate family member to translate. (remember that those who don't have contact quite often are even less likely to take the time to learn a language that they will rarely use and probably don't have the time or the needed native speaker or instructor to learn well enough to use) Even if a child needs to be educated using sign language just being able to interact in the world in general (the one that hears and speaks) in a way that is spontaneous is a plus. (and yes I'm sure that there are those Deaf persons who disagree with me)
As you go through the IEps while he's growing up 'listen' to him (actions speak louder then words at times,
) and remember that is a choice you've made seems to not be right you can call a meeting to change the IEP at any time, nothing is irreversible.
Good luck the testing and whatever decision you make for his communication in life.