Q: What are the potential benefits of bilateral cochlear implantation?

A:  Listening with two ears:  Binaural hearing can make it easier to hear speech and other sounds.  When the same sound is heard from both sides of the head, listeners become aware of the sound at softer levels and may communicate with less effort in stressful listening situations, such as noisy environments.

Hearing in noisy environments:  Binaural hearing provides the remarkable ability to “tune in” or to focus on a single speaker when surrounded by background noise.  With binaural hearing, the auditory system combines and compares the two signals and the brain “filters out” much of the unwanted noise.

Always having at least one ear receiving a “good” signal:  To hear their best in may situations, unilateral cochlear implant recipients must position themselves so that speakers and other important sound sources are directly in front of or to-the-side of the system’s microphone.  For example, in order to easily converse in a car, the speaker should be seated on the same sides as the recipient’s implant.  Bilateral cochlear implants may allow recipients to listen with greater ease without having to try and position their “good” ear to the sound source.

Localization:  Hearing with two ears can help adults and children to identify the location of speech and other important sounds.  With two implants it may be easier for cochlear implant recipients to determine the source of warning signals.  As a result, they may feel safer in their everyday environments

Subjective, qualitative advantages:  Subjects using bilateral hearing aids typically report sounds to be clearer, fuller, more natural, and more balanced.  It can improve “ease of listening” in the same way that vision in both eyes eases and improves the ability to see.

Q: I am/my child is doing well with one implant, why should we consider a second implant?

A:  A second cochlear implant may improve you or your child’s hearing in difficult listening situations including classroom and other settings.  Several studies suggest that children with unilateral hearing loss may have difficulty listening and learning in classroom environments, and often benefit academically and socially from binaural hearing solutions.