Surgery risk for cochlear implants for babies is no higher than for older children - Early help for a better future

Studies show: The risk of surgery for cochlear implants for babies is no greater than for older children. Parents can rely on early hearing care to give their child important opportunities for development.

Early hearing care for healthy development

Cochlear implantation (CI) can be a life-changing decision for children who are borderline deaf or hard of hearing. However, many parents wonder whether such an operation at an early age carries any risks. Thanks to a recent study we now know that the risks of surgery for babies are no higher than for toddlers aged three. This eliminates a frequently cited reason to wait and see - making hearing care as early as possible even more important.

Cochlear implants: For a life with hearing

Cochlear implants offer children with profound hearing loss the chance to hear and thus develop speech and communication skills. The timing of the implantation is particularly important. The earlier children can hear, the better their cognitive and social skills develop. Even in the first year of life, cochlear implantation enables hearing and speech development, which can be decisive for later quality of life and educational success.

Why act early?

The aforementioned study shows that babies are exposed to a comparable surgical risk as three-year-olds when undergoing cochlear implantation. Parents therefore need have no additional concerns when it comes to early implantation. In the first few years of life, the brain is particularly plastic for hearing and especially for speech. Delays in hearing care can lead to children missing out on a decisive developmental advantage that they will find difficult or impossible to catch up on later[1].

Common concerns and the reality of surgical risk

Cochlear implantation is a routine procedure that is performed by specialized ENT specialists using the highest quality standards and best surgical techniques. Parents are understandably concerned about possible risks, but these are minimized by modern technology, short operating times and experience. The new finding that the risk is not higher in babies removes an important basis for these concerns.

Giving the gift of time: Hearing from the first year of life

Children who receive a cochlear implant at an early age have a better chance of developing language appropriate to their age. Early hearing promotes bonding with parents and the environment, as acoustic stimuli can be directly integrated into everyday life. This gives the affected children the opportunity to perceive the world auditorily as early as possible and to learn speech patterns and melodies of everyday life.

The path to cochlear implantation: advice and support

The path to cochlear implantation begins with comprehensive diagnostics and counseling. Parents are informed by specialists about all the steps and options and receive the support they need to make the right decision for their child. In addition to the medical staff, early intervention specialists provide support after the diagnosis, they start support before the CI operation and provide close aftercare.

Résumé: Don't wait - act now!

The study shows that the risk of cochlear implantation in babies is comparable to that of older children. Therefore, there is no reason to wait with hearing treatment. On the contrary: early implantation can pave the way for good hearing and healthy speech development for your child. The decision to act early is a valuable gift for your child's future - give them the chance to hear the world.

[1] Yoshinaga-Itano, Christine, et al. "Language of early-and later-identified children with hearing loss." Pediatrics 102.5 (1998): 1161-1171.

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Cochlear implantation in babies: the earlier, the better!