| A cochlear implant is a like a divine gift for the people | | | | as well as children. Children from ages of 2 years to 6 |
| who are hard of hearing. It is an electronic device, | | | | years are considered old enough to receive cochlear |
| placed behind the ear which consists of the following | | | | implants. Cochlear implants are extremely beneficial for |
| four parts, namely a microphone, a speech processor, | | | | adults who would no longer have to rely on lip reading |
| a transmitter with receiver, and electrodes. | | | | and sign language to communicate with others around |
| Although it does not restore a pure natural sound, it | | | | them. |
| can allow the person to communicate and undoubtedly | | | | Cochlear implantation is done by surgery. Before the |
| he can lead physical, mental and social life in a better | | | | implantation surgery is undertaken, the surgeons and |
| way. So, it is better than using sign languages in many | | | | specialists will weigh all the pros and cons. Along with |
| instances. | | | | surgeons and advisors, different audiologists should be |
| A cochlear implant artificially modifies the altered | | | | consulted before a person actually goes for the |
| internal part of the ear to transform the sound waves | | | | implantation. A person who has an implant has to have |
| into impulses which are received by the ears as a | | | | therapy to understand the sounds that emerge from |
| sound or noise after being processed in the brain. | | | | the implant. Also, one has to take into account the |
| There are around 25,000 implantees across the world, | | | | expense of the surgery as it is an expensive one. |
| 14,000 from the U.S. alone. The figure includes adults | | | | |