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Meet Ben: How Early CI Implantation Opened His World

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In September of 2020, Ben Summers received his cochlear implant at just 9 months of age. Diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss at birth, his parents noticed very early on that Ben did not respond to aural stimuli, and hearing aids were not helpful.

We spoke with Ben’s mother, Beth Summers, to learn a little bit more about what this process was like for her and her son.

MED-EL: How has early implantation influenced Ben’s hobbies and activities that he enjoys? 
Beth: Ben loves music! He also loves to watch movies and play with friends. He is very social and engaging.

 

M: What was the rehab process like and how quickly did you notice a difference in Ben after he had his implant activated? 
B: Ben was a little afraid when he was first activated at 9 months old. The audiologist worked with us to slowly increase the volume so he wouldn’t be too overwhelmed. Within a couple weeks, we could see that Ben was responding to sound and loving it.

 

M: What were some of your initial concerns about getting your son implanted, and what ultimately convinced you to move forward in the process? 
B: I was worried that the implants may be uncomfortable and he may not like them. I was also worried that the technology would be difficult to manage. As it turns out, Ben asks for his ears every morning and he enjoys using them. The technology has been pretty simple and intuitive. Now they are just part of our daily routine.

 

M: What advice would you give to other parents of kids considering a CI? 
B: Go for it! I am open to the fact that Ben might not want to use cochlear implants in the future, but he will be old enough to make that choice for himself. I felt that as a parent, my responsibility was to give him access to participating in a hearing world—then he can make a different choice if he wants to when he is older.

 

M: What’s something you wish you’d heard when you were starting the journey of getting Ben a CI? 
B: The technology and process—including the surgery—is so much easier than you think.

For the Summers family, pursuing a cochlear implant for Ben was a decision they’d make all over again. And now, with MED-EL cochlear implants being recently approved for implantation in children as young as 7 months old, even more kids can gain access to sound as early as possible. Interested in learning more? Fill out the below form to get connected with a MED-EL representative or talk with your audiologist today!

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