My name is Irene, I live in Burgschleinitz and I am the mother of three children, one of whom has an implant. After we found out that he was deaf in his left ear, my son Valentin was fitted with a cochlear implant on one side in 2014. I always knew that something wasn't right with Valentin, but my concerns were not taken seriously for a long time. Since the implant, Valentin is so happy to be able to hear, he has grown in self-confidence unbelievably. He enjoys life and has a lot of fun in his everyday life, has made good friends and grown into an engaged young lad. I think it is important to help others in the same situation and I would advise you to always stay positive. I am grateful that there are such things as cochlear implants. I advise all parents to trust their intuition and their gut feelings. Stay tenacious and do not be fobbed off if you get the feeling that something is not right with your child. Stay strong, even if the path gets tough, your trust will get you to the destination and it will all turn out well in the end.