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Hearing
Helps Make Friends: (L-R)
Denise Almanzar and Carmen Almanzar of Newark,
Kayla Raquel of North Arlington and Kimberly
Cubillos of Elizabeth came with parents to
a “Listening Session” at University Hospital
in Newark to learn about the latest refinements
in cochlear implants. Apart from Carmen who
is not deaf, the other girls all hear because
they have cochlear implants. |
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Sound
Connections for Profoundly Deaf Children:
Thirteen children of the 35 patients at the
Cochlear Center of New Jersey at University
Hospital grouped around Audiologist Lisa Bell
who is director of the Center at a recent
“Listening Event” designed to
entertain the children while their parents
and grandparents learned about the latest
enhancements in cochlear implants. (L-R Back
Row) : Miguel Dominguez of New Brunswick,
Luis Hurtado of Clifton, Lisa Bell, Freddie
Leito of Elizabeth, Shaheed Thompson of Paterson,
Kimberly Cubillos of Elizabeth, and Anthony
Aguilar of New Brunswick. (L-R) Front Row):
Mauricio Gallegos of Paterson. |
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Birds chirping, cars honking, a parent talking, friends
laughing are all sounds that many children who are profoundly
deaf can hear thanks to the technology of cochlear implants.
Hearing is possible because these surgically implanted
devices take the place of damaged inner ear structures
that cause profound hearing loss. Now, that world of sound
is becoming even more exciting as the cochlear implant
technology has evolved to allow children to plug electronic
games and other voice and music-equipped entertainment
devices right into their implants.
At a recent educational “Listening Session”
hosted by the Cochlear Implant Center of New Jersey
at the University Hospital in Newark, more than two
dozen children ages 3-10, who have implants, along with
some hearing siblings, and their parents and guardians
learned the bells and whistles of the latest refinements
in cochlear implants.
Lisa Bell, Audiology Director of the Cochlear Implant
Center of NJ at the University Hospital and Patricia
Connelly. Ph.D, Director of Audiology were joined
by Jodi Rodrigues, of Cochlear Americas, which manufactures
the cochlear implants as she explained the advanced
uses for these devices. “When you can’t
hear, you are always thinking that you are missing something,”
said Ms. Rodrigues. She was a very convincing and enthusiastic
advocate for cochlear implants since she uses one herself.
Also on hand to answer questions was Lois Itchkawitz,
a volunteer for the manufacturer, who has bilateral
implants, one in each ear. Ms. Itchkawitz said, “when
I lost my hearing, I left the workplace and became a
hermit. The implants brought me into the world again.”
Ms. Bell said that University Hospital patients are
now receiving the “Freedom” model of the
cochlear implant which provides patients with better
surround sound making it easier, for example, to hear
in background noise. It is also splash resistant allowing
children to play in the water and bathe without worrying
about getting their implants wet.
For more information about the Cochlear Implant Center
of New Jersey, call (973) 972-0189.
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Events
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