COCHLEAR IMPLANTS PARTIALLY RESTORE HEARING

From: KSPR, MO
Nov. 18, 2002

PARTIAL HEARING CAN BE RESTORED TO THE DEAF BY AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE CALLED A COCHLEAR IMPLANT.

THE IMPLANT BYPASSES DAMAGED PARTS OF THE AUDITORY SYSTEM AND STIMULATES THE NERVES OF HEARING.
BUT ONE GROUP SAYS THE DEVICES ARE DESTROYING DEAF CULTURE... BY TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN.{TAKE PKG}[TAKE PKG]
[CG: COCHLEAR IMPLANTS/ NOT AN EASY CHOICE ]
[CG: DR. NEAL DiSARNO/ CLINICAL AUDIOLOGY SMSU (10-14)]
[CG: KAREN ENGLER/ SMSU LANGUAGE STUDIES (19-29)]
[CG: HALYE WILSON/ HAS COCHLEAR IMPLANT (35-41)]
[LENGTH: 1:18]
[OC: SOC]
THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS MOST OF US TAKE IN ARE JUST SIGHTS AND SIGNS TO THOSE WHO CAN'T HEAR.

But Dr. Neal DiSarno wonders, "Does that affect their quality of life? probably if you ask them no. many are happy the way they are."
PARTS OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY ARE OPPOSED TO ENHANCEMENTS LIKE COCHLEAR IMPLANTS.
SMSU language studies professor says, "A lot stems from thinking we're fixing that child or changing that so they're no longer deaf they hearing. In fact a cochlear implant does not change the fact that child is deaf. with that implant off they would function as they would without any hearing.
HALYE WILSON COULDN'T EVEN SPEAK JUST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
NOW HER COCHLEAR IMPLANT IS BRINGING SOUNDS TO LIFE.
THE SYSTEM ISN'T PERFECT AND THE SILENCE CAN BE FRUSTRATING.
Halye says that sometimes she has to turn the volume up on her implant and she gets upset when it doesn't work.

BUT FOR HALYE THE POSITIVE RESULTS ARE MUSIC TO HER EARS.
"I hear my sister, I hear my brother stuff like that. I hear a lot of things."

MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A HEARING AID, THE TYPICAL COCHLEAR IMPLANT WILL COST BETWEEN $30,000 and $60,000.

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