Cochlear implants for Irish children

We’ve had some fantastic news from Ireland. A campaign was run over the last year to have two cochlear implants as standard treatment for deaf children rather than just one. Most countries offer two cochlear implants to children, but this was not the practice in Ireland.

After a lot of hard campaigning and a petition to the Minister for Health, the HSE has now agreed to roll out a €3.2million bilateral cochlear implant programme with the Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

One hundred cochlear implants were allocated in the HSE plan for 2014. The HSE hopes to offer more money annually for cochlear implants under each yearly budget/plan. Well done Minister Reilly for managing this achievement in a very tough health budget year and well done to the parents who fought tirelessly for their children to have the gift of bilateral cochlear implants.

From personal experience of receiving sequential cochlear implants, I can confirm that having bilateral hearing is totally different from hearing in just one ear, it is much easier to understand speech and other benefits include directional hearing.

There have been some who have not agreed with the petition’s aims and do not think deaf children should be offered cochlear implants. In response to those in disagreement, Denise Martin speaks of her dreams for her deaf daughter now being realised.

I didnt have this operation lightly for my daughter. To say her job opportunities would not be limited is ridiculous. My Daughter is 3 years old very bright her only set back is her hearing. She was tested at 110db her brain did not respond to sound. If a jumbo jet landed beside her head she would not hear it high powered hearing aids gave her no access to sound. My little girl would never have learned to talk when she had her operation she had no words. How can you tell me a girl who cannot hear cannot speak is not limited in her job opportunities. How can she grow up go to college be a Doctor Or President of Ireland. How can she work in a call center answering the phone, work as a receptionist, work in a shop as a cashier and listen to customers and answer their questions. How absolutely dare you tell me not to fear the worse for my Precious little princess you have no idea what it is like the frustration on her little face for 2 years before she was implanted with this miracle of a cochlear implant. I have opened up a world of possibilities to my little girl that never would have been possible. How many profoundly deaf non hearing non speaking Doctors do you know? How many world leaders could not hear or speak ? How many Barristers Cannot Talk? How Many Ceo’s of companies cannot hear or speak?????? I have big Dreams like every parent for my little girl. How dare you tell me i should be happy to hold her back and not let her reach for the stars. Next time your listening to Music the Tv or even the birds singing think of my little 3 year old daughter and think i have chosen to give her the gift of sound to enhance the quality of her life something you so clearly take for granted. Just imagine you could not hear those sounds just try think for one minute never hearing music again. I want her to live life to the full not simple muddle along as you would have her do. Watch this space as in 30 years from now she could be a Doctor who can talk to her patients or CEO of a company who knows i want her to reach for the stars and have all she wants as a hearing speaking successful woman that nothing can hold back. Unless you have a profoundly Deaf Child with no speech you cannot judge my decision or other parents. I respect all parents choices to make the right decision for their family as we did for ours. Every day i am reminded of just how correct we were in our decision.