I was always interested about how hearing aids and cochlear implants work and looked into it a little. Learning about the ear though got me to go and look up in more depth how these amazing instruments help a deaf person hear.
So how does a hearing aid work? A hearing aid is a small device that you stick into the ear lobe. It simply amplify's the sounds. Someone who is totally deaf wont be able to hear with a hearing aid. However people who have trouble hearing low or normal sounds this helps them immensely by amplifying sounds. A lot of older people who can not hear so well anymore use hearing aids to assist them in hearing.
How about a cochlear implant? A cochlear implant is like a makeshift ear. If someones ear doesn't function that then a cochlear implant can do its job for them and send sounds the the auditory nerve and the brain. The cochlear implant has a part of it that is surgically placed under the skin and at the end of the brain. Which is attached to an external part that is placed above the ear. The external part has a microphone that pics up on sound. A speech processor that selects the sounds from the microphone. A transmitter that converts the sounds from the speech processor to electric impulses. That sends the electric impulses to the part that's inside the head. An electrode array collects the electric impulses and sends it to the auditory nerve. What the cochlear implant basically does is create its own makeshift ear. The sounds aren't exactly heard the same way an ear does but is still pretty accurate.
To get a cochlear implant you need to go threw a painful surgery.
Its a really wonderful thing that they created things that can help people hear. Hopefully they will soon have things to help out people with all the senses. (its also amazing that they make these things almost invisible now, as you can see in the pictures you can't really see either of the devices) I am thankful that my cute, yummy niece can hear me say "I love you smushy" and she can respond to me "I love you to Anty Hudis." <3
I love when what we learn in our classes relate to our everyday life. This is fascinating because I never have heard of actual cochlear implant surgery in a little kid. You're little niece is so adorable, I'm so glad that she can hear better now which can allow her to hear you say how much you love her. Cochlear implants are almost like glasses, but for the ear because they act as a part of the ear that is very important.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, your niece is so cuttee!!! The extent to which we can apply what we learn to our own lives is crazy. It's great that our class wanted to make you learn more about it. I never realized how complex hearing aids and cochlear implants were before. I'm glad your niece was able to get the help she needed.
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