Early pediatric implantation is a controversial topic within the deaf community because about 99% of deaf children are born into hearing families. As a result deaf community members want to make sure these hearing parents are well informed because they choose to have their child undergo early pediatric implantation.
According to a survey, over 3/4 of parents choose to have their child undergo cochlear implant surgery because they want to improve their child’s spoken language and environmental awareness. Early implantation is safe and proven to enhance sound recognition and speech development.
Early implanted children benefit both socially and educationally. A child who receives an implant at a young age will socialize more with hearing children than a deaf child without an implant. Early interaction with the hearing world will help develop social and emotioanl skills to function in mainstream society.
Literacy is a major challenge in the deaf community because many deaf children are born into hearing families and deprived of an environment which stimulates language aquisition. The median reading level for deaf highschool graduates is significantly lower than hearing 3rd graders. Early implantees don’t experience such a signifcant delay in language development and surpass the language development rate of those without implants.
Cochlear implants are not a cure for deafness so early implanted children will continue to function as a part of the deaf community. Parents should follow the National Association of the Deaf’s guidelines and teach their kids sign after they receive their cochlear implant so that they still connect to the deaf community. Parents need to become educated about cochlear implants and work with doctors to ensure their child reaches their hearing potential.
Tags: children, children with cochlear implants, cochlear implant, deaf, deaf community, early, pediatric implantation, pro cochlear implants
