Life is Bliss - Lily's Cochlear Implant Journey

Lost and Sound - A new documentary

Lost and Sound is a new moving creative documentary, made by a partially deaf filmmaker.  It weaves its way through a startling world of sound and silence, via the ears and brains of these extraordinary people as they try to re-discover music after deafness: a dancer deaf since birth, a young pianist who lost her hearing as a baby, and a music critic facing sudden partial hearing loss.

Deafening Affects Vocal Nerve Cells Within Hours

Interesting article showing that portions of a songbird's brain that control how it sings have been shown to decay within 24 hours of the animal losing its hearing.  Sceintist predict something similar likely to happen in human brains as well.

3 1/2 month old receives Cochlear Implant

A 3 1/2 month old baby has received a Cochlear Implant in Oman, Middle East.   As an advocate of early implantation, this is incredible.   What an opportunity for this child to gain all the listening and learning that comes as an infant.  I've heard of one other child being implanted around 4 months in California. As early becomes "standard,"  I hope it causes U.S. doctors and the FDA to look closely at the 1 year recommended implant date.    

Inside of the ear video

An interesting 7-minute video that takes viewers through the inside of the ear, to the acoustic accompaniment of classical music.  A narrator describes how the sound waves travel through each portion of the ear, and how hair cells translate the vibrations they induce into nerve impulses.  

For anyone trying to understand how the ear works, this is the video to watch.

 

AB's Neptune Cochlear Implant Approved - WoooHoooo!!!

To say we're excited about Advanced Bionics's Neptune Cochlear Implant being approved by the FDA is an understatement!!!  Now how fast can Lily get one and get in the bathtub or the pool or the beach or get the next greatest thing - ClearVoice?  Let the the countdown begin. 

Advanced Bionics is thrilled to announce that the NEPTUNE™ sound processor has received FDA approval in the United States. Now AB recipients and candidates have the choice of a Neptune or Harmony sound processor for hearing their best with AB.

World’s First Waterproof Sound Processor
AB continues our history of innovation leadership with Neptune, the first and only SWIMMABLE sound processor in the world. Whether you or your child enjoy taking a dip in the pool on a warm day or bonding at baby bath time, Neptune delivers hearing during those important moments.
 
Industry’s First Freestyle Design
The lightweight Neptune processor features the industry’s first freestyle™ design, allowing you or your child to hear the world with the comfort and beauty of nothing on the ear. Neptune gives you the freedom to choose your wearing style—in your hair, on your arm, under your collar, or in your pocket—without compromising performance. Whether you want to show it off or tuck it away discreetly, the freestyle design lets you wear it just how you like.
 
Usability and Durability
Built Kid Tough™ for rugged use, Neptune is ideal for every age and every lifestyle whether you live in a humid area, love to swim, enjoy sports, connect in the classroom, or travel across the globe. Neptune carries an IP68 rating that offers maximum protection against solid particles and various forms of moisture, which means that you can hear your best in all weather, all sports, and all terrain.
 
Performance
To ensure you hear your best all of the time, Neptune is compatible with the industry’s most advanced hearing technology for the best possible hearing performance, including ClearVoice™, HiRes Fidelity 120™, and AutoSound™.

For more information

Hearing loops go mainstream

Hearing accomodations are becoming mainstream, not only because of ADA but also for good customer service.  Check out this recent article in the NYT about hearing loops.  

Mild hearing loss = Brain Atrophy in Older Adults = Early Intervention

Interesting article in Science Daily

A new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows that declines in hearing ability may accelerate gray mater atrophy in auditory areas of the brain and increase the listening effort necessary for older adults to successfully comprehend speech.

Technology has changed the teaching of deaf students

Interesting article from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education concluding that Technology has changed the teaching of deaf students

Hearing Care in Developing Countries

Great article explains promise and challenges of bringing hearing care to developing countries.

Parents Magazine Covers Cochlear Implants

Great article in the most recent Parents magazine discussing kids and cochlear implants.  

The author, Debbie Waldman, did a great job capturing a positive story about the very engaged Bennett family and their 4-year old daughter.  

It is a real story about a little girl who receives Cochlear Implants and now talks like a champ in a mainstream environment.  This story is sure to educate all families about hearing loss and give those families hope who find themselves on a hearing loss journey.  

It also avoids the old tired story that is often covered in the media which says deaf people hate cochlear implants.  While there certainly are haters, this attitude is rapidly changing.  

Ironically, Lily was going to be the featured kid in this article.  

We spoke with the author at length, multiple times, over two years ago.  It seemed that because Lily was implanted at 10 months (before the 1 year FDA guideline), Parents Magazine editors were worried about running her story.  

Alas...Cochlear Implant implantation before one year is fairly standard and the research continues to show that earlier is better.   While we're disappointed Lily's story wasn't told, we are thrilled that this article ran.  It's a story that should be told every year!!   

Thanks Parents magazine for covering an important issue that impacts thousands of families everyday.  

 

 

Phoenix was HOT

It was over 100 degrees everyday in Phoenix, but that didn't deter us from seeing the (air conditioned) sites. From the Diamond Backs to the Science Museum, there was lots to see, do and talk about.  

We swam everyday to stay cool and even saw a guy with an AB CI at the In-N-Out Burger.  Lily's Dad loves this place.  Good eats.    

The biggest take away for Lily was the saying "Don't hug a cactus, unless you have practice."  With so many cactuses, we heard this phrase a lot.  Lily also enjoyed talking about the lady's voice on the GPS and asking endless questions about how the GPS knew where we were.    

Nebraska EHDI Program Community Outreach Coordinator

The Nebraska Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program (NE-EHDI) seeks a qualified candidate for a half-time (20 hours per week) position as a Community Outreach Coordinator (Staff Assistant II) at $14.897 an hour.

 

This position will be hired through the State of Nebraska’s temporary employment office and is grant funded. The Community Outreach Coordinator will need to have time flexibility working opposite hours of the Community Health Educator Audiology Graduate Student, and be comfortable in shared office space. Hours will vary according to the Community Health Educator’s II class and clinic schedule changes each semester.

Under limited supervision, this person performs outreach via phone, fax, and mail, to families identified with a baby or child who is deaf or has a hearing loss and assists the Community Health Educator with reducing children “lost to system.” The Community Outreach Coordinator will need a broad understanding of issues faced by families with a baby or child with a hearing loss. Strong communication skills, ability to work independently and collaboratively with others, knowledge of appropriate community services and support, ability to work with diverse families and provide unbiased information, detail-oriented, and ability to maintain client confidentiality. Prefer individuals who have experience working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Bilingual skills in English and Spanish a plus.

 

For more information or send resume to: Kathy Northrop, Program Manager Nebraska Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program 301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, NE 68509-5026 Kathy.northrop@nebraska.gov

 

Deaf Education Evolving with Implants

This article describes the impact of cochlear implants on teaching methods for kids who have hearing loss.  Like the Omaha Hearing School, the article provides a good description of the Clarke School for Hearing and Speech, an oral preschool.  While teaching methods are not one-size-fits-all, when children have access to sound at a very young age, an Oral approach maximizes that opportunity for listening and spoken language learning.

99-year-old gets Cochlear Implant

It's never too late to improve your hearing.  A 99-year-old gets a Cochlear Implant.

Hearing Loss Infographic

Great Hearing Loss infographic from Rachel at Cochlear Implant Online

Storing Sounds In The Inner Ear

Do we store sounds in the inner ear?  Interesting research article exploring this theory.

Microphone Array Embedded in Eyeglasses

Interesting research article on Microphone placement embedded in eyeglasses for CIs or hearing aids.

Is Noise Killing You?

A recent Fast Company article highlights a new study from the World Health Organization and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.

"The report, Burden of Disease From Environmental Noise, claims that western Europeans lose up to 1.6 million years of healthy living annually from noise pollution, compared to 4.5 million years lost for air pollution (noise is only second to air pollution in environmental hazards, according to WHO)."

Click here for the WHO report (PDF download).

Flintstones Hearing Loss Video

Fascinating Flintstones video demonstrating how various hearing loss sounds from a Mild loss to a Severe loss.  

1-Sided hearing loss lowers language skills

Interesting article on the impact that even a unilateral hearing loss can have on kids.

“Now our study has shown that, on average, children with hearing loss in one ear have poorer oral language scores than children with hearing in both ears,” she says....“Parents, educators and pediatricians shouldn’t assume that having hearing in one ear means children won’t need additional assistance.”

3D Sound?

Here's a story about virtual reality with 3D Audio.  This professor has found the musical sweet spot for sound.  Think of the potential application in hearing aids or Cochlear Implants.  

"Surround-sound can give you a sense of an explosion happening at a distance, but it's not accurate," says Professor Choueiri, sitting in his custom-built acoustics lab on campus.  "With 3D audio, I can get a fly to go around your head… or if you want to really scare somebody, you can put a sound inside their head." 

 

Audiologist - 9th Best Job for 2011

According to careercast.com  - Audiologist is the 9th best job for 2011.   Good work environment, low stress, low physical demand and strong hiring outlook. Average income: $63,208.00

Annual Noisy Toy List

Did you purchase any of the 2010 Top 10 Noisiest Toys?   Each year, the Sight and Hearing Association, along with researchers from the University of Minnesota, tests toys and puts out a list to help parents combat hearing loss in children. 

Hearing loss can be cumulative, meaning that hearing loss occurs from being exposed to loud noises consistently, over time.  Avoid toys that are louder than the recommended 85 dB.  

2010 Ten Noisiest Toys

1. Bell Riderz Block Blaster  from Bell Sports, Inc. - 129.2 dB
2. Cars Shake ‘N Go Ramone from Mattel, Inc. -.119.5 dB
3. Transformers Optimus Prime Cyber Sword from Hasbro - 110.1 dB
4. True Heroes Sonic Battle Blasters from Geoffrey, LLC - 110 dB
5. CAT Mini Mover from Toy State Intl Ltd. - 104.8 dB
6. Rocket Boost Iron Man 2 from  Hasbro - 103.2 dB
7. Road Rippers Rush & Rescue Fire Truck from Toy State Intl Ltd.-101.6 dB
8. Interaction Morris from Learning Curve Brands, Inc. - 98.7 dB
9. Proto Bat-Bot Figure from Mattel, Inc. - 98.6 dB
10. CAT Honk & Rumble Wheel from Toy State Intl Ltd. - 96.6 dB

New test can screen all deafness genes

Gene testing is fast moving.  Here's the latest research from one of my favorite Universities.  For $2000 and 1-3 months, their new test, which will be out in the spring, can screen all known deafness genes.  

Wisconsin Study and Bilateral Cochlear Implants

Interesting article about the Wisconsin research study on bilateral Cochlear Implants that Lily was involved in and more proof that bilateral CIs make a big difference. 

Noise At The Office

As the father of a child who hears with cochlear implants, better acoustics is a hot button issue to me as you all know. Sound quality has a profound effect on productivity, stress-levels, and all kinds of communication issues. Thankfully new research is looking into the effect noise has on people’s experiences. The linked article at Harvard Business Review provides info on some sound strategies, research and tips for making your office environment more sound friendly. 

Deaf people can "rewire brains"

Interesting article from the BBC about the power of the brain and what happens when you don't use parts of it.  People with hearing loss likely have a better visual field.  

This has always been my theory about young children learning language and why it is critical to frontload all services to take advantage of early brain development.  

Screening Newborns for Hearing Loss - New Research

New research supporting the benefits of the Newborn Hearing Screening.  

Nebraska has mandated newborn hearing screening and that is how Lily's hearing loss was identified.  

Even when babies fail their hearing screens in the hospital, not all parents are following up with immediate tests. That means many deaf and hearing-impaired babies aren't getting the early intervention, such as hearing aids and language therapy that they need for long-term success. 

Doctors aim to provide babies with hearing aids by 3 months, although they can be fitted with the devices as early as 1 month.  The earlier that kids get help, the better.

 

Comparison of Bimodal and Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users

Comparison of Bimodal (hearing aid and CI) and Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users on Speech Recognition with Competing Talker, Music Perception, Affective Prosody Discrimination, and Talker Identification

Cullington, Helen E.; Zeng, Fan-Gang
Ear and Hearing - August, 2010

This research adds to the existing speech perception, language, and localization studies that show no significant difference between bimodal and bilateral cochlear implant users.

Cochlear Implant Pioneer Advocates for Adult Aural Rehabilitation

Fascinating Q&A in the ASHA Leader this month about Sigrid Cerf and Adult CI Rehabilitation.

Sigrid Cerf was vaulted into a new world when she received a cochlear implant (CI) after 50 years of deafness. Her world expanded to include long telephone calls and effortless conversations with her two grown sons and her husband, Vinton Cerf, considered a "father of the Internet" and renowned for his role in the development of e-mail and other communication tools that particularly benefit people with hearing loss.

After receiving her first cochlear implant in 1996 and a second implant in her other ear nearly a decade later, Cerf honed her listening skills by listening to 500 audiobooks. She also makes use of assistive listening devices to maximize her ability to hear in challenging environments.

AG Bell Adventure

A few weeks ago we were fortunate to attend the Alexander Graham Bell Association Conference in Orlando.  It was fantastic.  We were surrounded with kids and adults with Cochlear Implants and hearing aids and the teachers and audiologists who support them.  

We attended fabulous educational sessions, like stem cell research, working memory strategies and LENA research studies, as well as volunteered as Bionic Ear Association Mentors on behalf of our Cochlear Implant manufacturer Advanced Bionics. 

In Advanced Bionics' booth, we were able to talk to families and professionals about our hearing journey.  We were able to give back and talk face-to-face about something we feel so passionate about.  We were also able to dream about what will be available for Lily in the future. 

While this was only the second time that we attended this conference, it seemed like we saw many old friends.   There were many returning families with young children like Lily, as well as teachers from the Moog center, staff from AB, thought leaders and researchers like Carol Flexer and icons in the AG Bell/Oral world.  

We also saw Lee Woodfruff, wife of the ABC news anchor Bob Woodruff who suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury when he was covering the war in Iraq.  Lee didn't however talk about her husband at this event. Rather, she focused on her daughter who has a hearing loss.  She told us the story of her daughter's diagnosis to receiving hearing aids, all the therapy and stress in between, and how her daughter is doing today.  It was such a similar story to so many in the crowd, that I think most of the 1500+ people in attendance were in tears.   It was quite moving.

Her book, Perfectly Imperfect (see it posted in the left column) is a great read full of stories and journeys of a wife and mother facing dozens of challenges along the way. 

We returned home feeling rejuvenated and excited about continuing with Lily's hearing journey. More posts to come with details of the sessions and our fun time at Disney. 

 

Programming Cochlear Implants: Interview

Interesting interview with Jace Wolfe, about his new book titled Programming Cochlear Implants. 

How Noise And Nervous System Get In Way Of Reading Skills

ScienceDaily (July 14, 2009) — A child's brain has to work overtime in a noisy classroom to do its typical but very important job of distinguishing sounds whose subtle differences are key to success with language and reading.  But that simply is too much to ask of the nervous system of a subset of poor readers whose hearing is fine, but whose brains have trouble differentiating the "ba," "da" and "ga" sounds in a noisy environment, according to a new Northwestern University study.  Read More

Stanford Stem Cell Discovery Could Lead To Cure For Deafness

This is an interesting story on the progress being made on stem cell research related to hearing loss.

A new discovery from Stanford researchers may pave the way for treatment -- and even a possible cure -- for deafness.  Stem cell scientists reported Thursday that they have for the first time created in the laboratory the inner-ear cells responsible for hearing and balance....Professor Heller and his colleagues said the huge step is that they've created the first functional cochlear sensory cells from stem cells. 

Another Study On the Benefits of Early Surgery

Cochlear Implants for Kids: Earlier Surgery Works Best - Research keeps piling up that early cochlear implant implantation leads to better results for children as seen in a study released today from the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study summarized that "children who receive cochlear implants before 18 months of age are better able to hear, comprehend sound and music, and speak than are their counterparts who receive the implants at a later age."

Talking Louder When You Drink

Why do people seem to talk louder and louder when they drink?  Is it because the alcohol is impacting their hearing?   Interesting research showing that alcohol specifically blunts lower frequencies affecting the mostly 1000 Hz, which is the most crucial frequency for speech discrimination

Scientists Decipher How Brain Handles Silence

Interesting article regarding research into how the brain detects and uses silence in speech processing. According to the article, "U.S. researchers say they've spotted mechanisms used by the brain to switch off sound processing at key moments. "Being able to perceive when sound stops is very important for speech processing. One of the really hard problems in speech is finding the boundaries between the different parts of words. It is really not well understood how the brain does that," psychology professor Michael Wehr, a member of the university's Institute of Neuroscience, said in a news release."

Sonova + AB + InSound Medical = Sounds Good

Sonova completed its $489 million acquisition of AB this week and announced the purchase of InSound Medical. According to the Reuters report, "InSound developed the first hearing system that is placed deep in the ear canal and is invisible from the outside. The hearing system can be used for up to 120 days before being replaced. The deal enables Sonova to tap into the market for mild to moderate hearing loss, which affects a younger age group that has so far been reluctant to wear a hearing aid. In the U.S. alone, there are around 36 million people with mild to moderate hearing loss who do not yet wear a hearing system -- many are potential new customers to whom we can now offer a solution," Sonova Chief Executive Valentin Chapero said in a statement."

Sonova shares rose 3.2% to an all-time high on Wednesday.

This is all great news for AB as the continued synergy between these companies will likely bear fruit for hearing impaired individuals for years to come.

This is great news for Lily as well since she is a new Sonova stock holder. Her Uncle John bought her some shares as a Christmas gift and it apparently is paying off in so many ways. Thanks Uncle John.

Upcoming Moog Center Workshops

As you may remember we had a fantastic experience this summer attending the "Helping Your Children Learn to Talk" workshop in St. Louis. It was without a doubt one of the best couple days you can spend and well worth the investment. Well, the Moog Center is taking applications for this summer's training and offering a variety of other programs for parents and educators alike. Here's a listing. Check it out and don't forget to tell your educational professionals as well.

January 21-22, 2010 - $300 

Pediatric Cochlear Implant Programming 

A workshop for cochlear implant audiologists who work with infants and children. This workshop will focus on cochlear implant programming techniques for optimizing access to sound for infants and young children.  Protocols for monitoring progress in children at various developmental levels will be discussed.  Instruction will include live demonstrations, videos, and presentation of relevant case studies.  Seating for this interactive workshop is limited. CEU’s available.  Contact:  Connie Ciavirella at 314-692-7172 or cciavirella@moogcenter.org 

 

February 18-20, 2010 - $350 

The Earlier They Get Started, The Faster They Learn To Talk. 

For teachers and SLPs providing early intervention services to children with hearing loss. This workshop will focus on techniques for helping parents work with their own children and strategies for professionals working with very young children to develop spoken language skills.  Instruction will include live demonstrations, videos and hands-on opportunities.  Seating is limited. CEU’s available.  Contact:  Betsy Moog Brooks at 314-692-7172 or bbrooks@moogcenter.org 

 

July 7-11, 2010 - $150 

Helping Your Child Learn To Talk 

A Workshop for Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, ages 2 to 5 

This four-day workshop will provide parents with opportunities to learn strategies to help their children learn to talk while their children receive daily individualized instruction by a staff member of the Moog Center.  Each day is packed full of activities for the children and information for the parents.  Children over age 3 may receive speech and language evaluations, for an additional fee.  Contact:  Betsy Moog Brooks at 314-692-7172 or bbrooks@moogcenter.org 

 

September 2010 – Date to be determined. $150 

Strategies for Professionals of Mainstreamed Students with Hearing Loss 

For SLPs and teachers who have a student with hearing loss in their classroom. Learn effective strategies that work with students with hearing loss who are mainstreamed into your school setting.  Topics to be 

discussed include:  hearing loss and effects on language, academic difficulties, assistive listening devices, and support services. Contact:  Connie Ciavirella at 314-692-7172 or cciavirella@moogcenter.org 

 

October 2010 – Date to be determined. $300 

From Assessment to Practice:  Developing Spoken Language Skills in Children with Hearing Loss For SLPs and Teachers of the Deaf 

This workshop will focus on accurately assessing language levels, identifying areas for language instruction, selecting appropriate goals and objectives, and planning lessons for children with hearing loss.  Topics include:  Using norm-referenced language evaluation tools to diagnose strengths and weaknesses, using criterion-referenced language rating forms to select goals and mark progress, and implementing targets into a variety of language lessons. CEUs available. Contact:  Connie Ciavirella at 314-692-7172 or cciavirella@moogcenter.org 

 

November 2010 – Date to be determined. $300 

Conversational Language Activities for Deaf Children For SLPs and Teachers of the Deaf 

This workshop will focus on implementing language goals into a variety of conversational language activities for children with hearing loss.  Topics include:  Modeling and imitation techniques for correction and expansion of language, selecting appropriate language goals, planning conversational language activities to meet language goals and a variety of ideas for many different kinds of conversational activities.  This workshop will also include classroom observations and some hands-on practice. CEUs available.  Contact:  Connie Ciavirella at 314-692-7172 or cciavirella@moogcenter.org 

 

For your convenience, the Moog Center offers onsite workshops for larger groups.  If your staff or district is interested in scheduling one of the above workshops onsite, please contact Connie Ciavirella at 314-692-7172 or cciavirella@moogcenter.org 

 

Visit the website at www.moogcenter.org for complete workshop listings and information about the Moog Center’s publications.

AB Harmony vs Nucleus 5

Advanced Bionics has posted a new comparison chart versus Cochlear's latest Nucleus 5. Click on the link for more insights.

3-D Scanner May Lead to Better Hearing Aids

Ran into an interesting article in the latest issue of Fast Company that looks at MIT's latest 3-D digital ear canal scanner. The technology will enable a better reading of the shapes and shifts in the ear canal than the traditional silicone ear molds. While the technology isn't likely to effect Lily and other cochlear implant users, it could be a big advance for those requiring hearing aids. MIT hopes to commercialize the technology by 2011.

Let Our Children Hear — And Learn To Speak - South Africa Editorial

A very interesting editorial in South Africa's The Time's called Let our children hear — and learn to speak

AB Cochlear Implant Article in the LA Times

There was an excellent article in the LA Times today called "Cochlear implants open deaf kids' ears to the world."  It chronicles a little boy named Tyler from CI surgery and activation, to speech at the John Tracy Clinic.   Hope we see more mainstream media covering this new generation of kids with Cochlear Implants.  Talk about a changing industry. It's certainly not business as usual. 

Do Women Hear Better then Men?

Scientists at the University of Rochester have discovered that the hormone estrogen plays a pivotal role in how the brain processes sounds...Understanding how estrogen changes the brain's response to sound, say the authors, might open the door to new ways of treating hearing deficiencies.

Check out this new discovery in the Hearing Review.

Update to Kid Featured in "Sound and Fury"

Do you remember "Sound and Fury," a 2000 Academy Award-nominated documentary about Cochlear Implants?  Part of the film documented Heather Artinian's journey toward the hearing world.  Made in 1998-99, the film focuses on Heather's parents as they struggle to decide whether to allow their 6-year-old daughter to have CI surgery, a procedure that Heather had been inquiring about since she was 4.

An interesting new article updates readers about Artinian, now a 15-year-old at Glen Cove High School with a Cochlear Implant and a star basketball, lacrosse and volleyball player.

Vivosonic - ABRs Without Sedation Or Anesthesia

One of the Google ads running on our site attracted my attention. It was an ad for the company Vivosonic that has developed a new ABR procedure that "enables recording clear responses without the risk or additional cost of sedation." It also allows the test to be administered in a variety of settings like schools, rather than a doctor's office. Here's a link to the product and a pretty good video outlining how it works.

When we took Lily in to the audiologist after her newborn hearing screening, we were told that she would need to be totally quiet and still to get accurate results. Because she was so young, we were able to test her by timing the doctor's appointment with her nursing and sleeping schedule so she slept through both ABRs without needing sedation. However, if she was any older or any more active that would not have been an option. Looks like now, parents may now have a better option. I'm not sure how prevalent this new technology is, but it's nice to see it becoming available. It's hard enough as a parent having to go through MRIs, CAT scans and CI surgery itself without having one more medical sedation.

Is anybody familiar with this product?

Hybrid Cochlear Implant

Interesting story out of Kansas City from the St Joseph News about a hybrid cochlear implant for people with more residual hearing to preserve.  Here is an excerpt:

The hybrid cochlear implant, however, contains a single electrode rather than multiple electrodes and is placed only 6 millimeters into the ear rather than 10 to 20 millimeters in, creating much less risk of damaging the inner ear structures responsible for residual hearing. And in addition to being less risky, the hybrid implant also is less expensive.

Ms. Kerner will return to Midwest Ear Institute on May 14 to be fitted with a hearing aid that will work with her implant, which is in her right ear. If everything works as intended, the hearing aid will drive sound waves and the implant’s electrode will stimulate the nerves leading into the inner ear, where Ms. Kerner still has low-frequency hearing. Through this stimulation, the implant will work with her residual hearing to restore the high-frequency hearing she’s lost.

Wis. could be first to require cochlear implant insurance coverage

A new AP article about Wisconsin's legislature passing a bill mandating insurance coverage for CIs, hearing aids and related treatment for those under 18. 

"Wisconsin could become the first state requiring private insurance companies to cover cochlear implants for children with severe hearing problems.  The state Legislature passed a bill Thursday requiring private health insurance plans to cover cochlear implants, hearing aids and related treatment for those under the age of 18. Gov. Jim Doyle has promised to sign it into law." 

Because our bill in Nebraska LB 493, that mandates CI coverage for all and doesn't address hearing aid coverage, continues to be stuck in committee until next year, I thought I'd pull some interesting notes from the Wisconsin press coverage.

"Wisconsin's insurance commissioner estimated last year that a similar, but slightly less-generous version of the bill would cost people enrolled in private insurance plans less than 10 cents per month. The analysis estimated that 1,200 kids in Wisconsin schools were deaf and up to one-third of them had cochlear implants."

"The potential cost of the mandate is unclear and will vary widely by company, said Phil Dougherty, senior executive officer of the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans. He said some of its members already provide coverage for hearing aids and cochlear implants while others do not."

Sen. Lassa [one of the authors of the Wisconsin bill] also noted research that suggests that Wisconsin taxpayers stand to save as much as $5,000 to $10,000 per child per year in reduced or eliminated special education services and a savings of about $1 million per person over their lifetime if more children can receive hearing aids and cochlear implants. Currently, thirteen states, including Minnesota, require that insurance companies cover hearing aids."  See Senator Lassa's Wisonsin Press release for more info.

Parents Magazine - May 2009

Interesting snippet in the May, 2009 Parents Magazine about Cochlear Implants.

"Deaf kids who receive cochlear implants report an improved quality of life - and the younger the age at which they receive them, the better, finds a new study in the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research." 

Watch a CI Surgery Online

Here is an unbelievable opportunity to Watch a CI surgery online. 

On Tuesday, February 24th at 3pm CST, watch a Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implant performed from University Hospitals Case Medical Center Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland.  Cliff Megerian, MD, The Richard and Patricia Pogue Chair in Auditory Surgery and Hearing Sciences at University Hospitals Case Medical Center Implants will perform the procedure and provide a detailed narration. Audiologist Gail Murray PhD., Clinical Director of the Cochlear Implant Program, will supply additional commentary. The physicians will be available during the webcast to answer any email questions from viewers