Cochlear Implant & Hearing Aids

The Cochlear Implant Program at the House Children’s Hearing Center represents one of the most historic and prestigious cochlear implant centers in California. 

What is a Cochlear Implant?  

Developed in large part at the House Institute by William House, MD, a cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. An implant does not restore normal hearing. Instead, it can give a deaf person a useful representation of sounds in the environment and helps him or her to understand speech. 

The implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin. The basic parts of the device include:  

• A microphone that picks up sound from the environment  

• A speech processor that selectively filters sound to prioritize audible speech and sends the electrical sound signals through a thin cable to the transmitter  
• A transmitter, which is a coil held in position by a magnet placed behind the external ear; it transmits the processed sound signals to the internal device by electromagnetic induction.  
• A receiver and stimulator secured in bone beneath the skin, which converts the signals into electric impulses and sends them through an internal cable to electrodes 
• An array of up to 22 electrodes wound through the cochlea, which send the impulses to the nerves in the scala tympani and then directly to the brain through the auditory system 

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as of April 2009, approximately 188,000 people worldwide have received implants. In the United States, roughly 41,500 adults and 25,500 children have received them. 

Candidates 

The House Children’s Hearing Center determines implant candidacy on an individual basis. We consider a person’s hearing history, cause of hearing loss, amount of residual hearing, speech recognition ability, health status, and family commitment to aural habilitation/rehabilitation.  

A prime cochlear implant candidate has: 

• severe to profound sensorineural hearing impairment in one or both ears 
• functioning auditory nerve(s) 

• good speech, language, and communication skills, or, in the case of infants and young children, a family willing to work toward speech and language skills with therapy 

Cochlear implantation is a delicate and challenging procedure, and we provide unparalleled service through the experience and knowledge of our medical staff and clinical associates in our cochlear implant division.  

Speech Therapy  

Our children’s center will also provide the therapy necessary to aid in your child’s speech development.  

Through research-based therapy and a positive environment where children learn through play, we hope to build your child’s confidence and hear them laugh along the way. Our specialized care team will provide parents and caregivers with the strategies they need to enhance therapeutic success and aid their child’s journey in understanding the world around them. 

All services include an individual treatment plan for each child, home program training, and progress reviews at regular intervals. 

What to expect: 

• We ensure that all our staff and therapists establish a strong rapport with you and your child to promote a positive learning experience. 
• We keep your concerns in mind while following the individualized treatment plan. 
• Therapy is uniquely tailored to fit your child’s needs. 

• During or after each session, the therapist will review objectives of each activity and how parents and family can reinforce the skills at home. 

There are many benefits to delivering speech and language therapy to children. Some reasons include: 

• Improving current skill base to reduce frustration. 
• Increasing independence and independent learning. 
• Increasing social interaction and development of meaningful friendships and relationships. 

• Improve self-esteem and confidence.