Cochlear Implants And Hearing Essay Research Paper

Cochlear Implants And Hearing Essay, Research Paper

Introduction:

I decided to do a researched-based project. Since I was a young child I have

been fascinated by the Hearing Impaired. Recently there has been much

controversy in the Deaf community over the use of Cochlear Implants in pre-lingual

deaf children. I took this assignment as an opportunity to take a closer look into the

world of hearing aids and Cochlear Implants. Since I was in high school I have

known what I wanted to do with my life: Work with the hearing impaired to better

their communication skills. In order for me to fulfill my goals, it is important for me

to fully understand the devices out there that may or may not help a deaf patient

hear the slightest sound. There has been much controversy, as noted before,

because of the advanced use of the Cochlear Implant, in fact many members of the

Deaf community view it as an effort of the hearing world to fix the deaf world.

Many Deaf people do not wish to be fixed, nor do they feel anything is wrong with

them. I wanted to research this so I would be better equipped to make an educated

opinion of my own about the intentions of the Cochlear Implants being used in

pre-lingual children.

Findings:

I feel it important to start with the basic anatomy of the normal working ear.

Without knowledge of the basic concepts and terms of hearing the rest of the

findings will be rather confusing. First lets cover some key terms. An Audiologist is

a person with a degree and/or certification in the areas of identification and

measurement of hearing impairments and rehabilitation of those with hearing

problems (Turkington). The oval window is the tiney opening at the entrance of

the ear. There are three basic parts of the ear that will be covered in detail shortly:

the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The middle ear is the small cavity

between the eardrum and the oval window that is home to the three tiney bones of

hearing. The eardrum is a paper thin covering that stretches across the ear canal,

separating the middle ear from the outer ear. The inner ear is the inside section of

the ear where sound vibrations are formed into messages that are sent to the brain.

Hair cells facilitate this because they are the tiney sensory receptors that transform

the messages to the brain. (Turkington) The ear as a whole is pictured below in

figure 1, and the three sections of the ear are explained in more detail:

Figure 1:

The human ear is divided into three anatomical divisions; the outer ear

which includes the pinnae or auricle and the external auditory canal; the

middle ear which includes the tympanic membrane (the ear drum) , the

middle ear ossicles (bones) named the malleus (hammer), the incus (anvil)

and the stapes (stirrup), as well as the cavity in which they are situated (otic

capsule); and the inner ear which includes the cochlea and the semicircular

canals. (Anatomy…)

Hearing aids are the age old remedy to hearing loss in varying degrees. A

hearing aid is a device that amplifies sound waves to help sounds be processed more

clearly. Hearing aides amplify sounds, helping a person hear better, but cannot

restore normal hearing abilities. Hearing aids will amplify ALL sounds, not just

those that the person wishes to hear. This results in much interference, which can

take some getting used to. (Turkington)

There are many types of hearing aids available, more than 1,000 different

models are available in the United States alone! Each type will include a

microphone to pick up the sounds, an amplifier to boost the sound level, a receiver

or a speaker to deliver the sound to the ear, and all are powered by some sort of

battery. Some people wear them in just one ear (monaural) or can wear them in

both ears (binaural). Hearing aids are divided into five different types: digital,

in-the-ear, in-the-canal, behind-the-ear, and on-the-body. The two most common

are in-the-ear and behind-the-ear models, shown in figure 2. (Turkington)

Figure 2

In-the-ear aids are lightweight devices whose custom-made housings

contain all the components; this device fits into the ear canal with no visible

wires or tubes. It is possible to control the tone but not the volume with these

aids, so they are helpful only for people with mild hearing loss….Because they

are custom-fit to a person s ear, it is not possible to try on before ordering.

Behind-the-ear aids include a microphone, amplifier and receiver

inside a small curved care worn behind the ear; the case is connected to the

earmold by a short plastic tube. The earmold extends into the ear canal.

Some models have both tone and volume control…. some people who wear

glasses find that the glasses interfere with the aid s fit. Others do not have

space behind the ear for the mold to fit comfortably. (Turkington)

The First

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