Why some people turned down a ‘medical miracle’ and decided to stay deaf

Cochlear implants tend to be viewed in a positive light. Many people believe this device is a cure for deafness due to doctors who promote this device as such and the many videos that are online of deaf and hard of hearing people having their cochlear implants turned on for the first time. Hearing one’s own voice or a loved ones voice for the first time can be a very emotional experience, which is why many of these videos have gone viral. While getting a cochlear implant for some may be the right choice, for many others the implant is an inconvenience and burden.

It is deceptive to advertise the cochlear implant as a “cure” for deafness and hearing loss. It’s not as simple as flipping a switch, which is what many videos online make it out to be. Large amounts of time must be dedicated to speech therapy and learning how to adjust to this new sense. For some, living with a cochlear implant can be unbearable and using sign language to communicate is the better option. Not every deaf or hard of hearing person deals with their hearing loss in the same way and it’s important to look at all the options when deciding how to live with hearing loss.

You can the full article on cochlear implants here.