Our Evaluation Process

We want to make sure that your child is a good candidate for cochlear implant surgery so we thoroughly evaluate your child before scheduling the implant. Our evaluation process may include medical testing (like a CT scan or MRI) and discussions about family and social support.

The evaluation typically includes:

• Pediatric Otolaryngology (ENT): This helps determine if your child is medically a candidate for a cochlear implant. We may suggest some medical tests, including genetic testing, an MRI or a CT scan.
• Audiology: We will discuss your child's hearing history and evaluate hearing with and without hearing aids.
• Speech and Language Pathology (Auditory-Verbal Therapy): Involves assessing your child's communication abilities and helps set goals for pre- and post-cochlear implant language development.
• Social Work: This part of the evaluation helps us find additional ways that we can help your family during the cochlear implant process. We will connect you with our social worker who can provide ongoing support.

Who is a Candidate?

Cochlear implants are recommended for patients who receive little to no benefit from traditional hearing aids. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of cochlear implants for children who meet the following criteria:

• At least 12 months of age
• Severe-to-profound hearing loss
• Medically cleared or healthy enough to undergo surgery
• Little to no benefit from traditional hearing aids appropriately fit and worn during all waking hours
• Older children unable to understand at least 30% of words presented with listening only tasks
• Family who can provide support and follow-up after surgery

Learn what to expect before and after surgery.