Ethical Crossroads Cochlear Implantation for Children: Opening Doors to Opportunity

Cochlear implantation has altered the life-course of thousands of children who have significant hearing loss. Since the United States Food and Drug Administration approved multichannel cochlear implants for children in 1989, growing numbers of parents are choosing this option for their offspring and seeking opportunities to integrate them into the hearing world of our society. When paired with appropriate habilitation, cochlear implantation removes barriers for children who are deaf. This technology affords them the ability to circumvent the effects of deafness and participate academically, socially, culturally, and vocationally with their hearing family and peers