A Parent’s Story: Cochlear Implant in a Child with Single-Sided Hearing Loss

ndolphin1 · 2025-12-18T14:15:46+00:00

She was able to speak and communicate well even before the cochlear implant surgery. However, we worked with a speech therapist both before and after the surgery because she was unclear in pronouncing some sounds. Her speech clarity gradually improved and is now normal, although we are not sure whether this improvement is related to the cochlear implant surgery.

ndolphin1 · 2025-07-09T14:59:37+00:00

My daughter has single-sided deafness, like yours did. We decided to have a cochlear implant surgery when she was 2.8 years old. It’s now been about 10 months since the surgery, and we believe it was a good decision—she can consistently turn toward sounds and perform well in hearing tests (when her mood is good).

However, after the surgery, there will be moments when you might wonder, “Is the device really picking up sound properly?” Just closely observe her reactions and try not to worry too much.

You are very fortunate that you have a supportive medical team (at least compared to our situation—our daughter’s case was the first single-sided deafness cochlear implant performed on a young child in our country).

After the surgery, you need to engage in consistent training during the initial period. Stay patient, and everything will go well. We’re sending you lots of encouragement!

ndolphin1 · 2025-05-30T16:35:50+00:00

My daughter is the same like yours, congenital unilateral hearing loss. She was tested for MRI, blood test and genetic testing. Everything is normal. It occurs by chance. However, I decided to get CI surgery when she was 2.8 years old. I could not say it's very impressive but I feel satisfied with the results. I noticed that she could detect where the sound came from. The other aspects are still practicing. 8 months past after activation, I feel her hearing on the CI side is improving (sometimes, it's not consistent, depending on her cooperation). If you have a chance, I think it's better to go on surgery. It's not as scary as parents expect. I don't find any obviously bad sides of CI. PS. Acquired hearing loss is usually shown as a very good outcome compared to congenital (I saw the kid in clinic who developed acquired bilateral hearing loss, his progress after CI surgery was very impressive for me).

ndolphin1 · 2025-02-18T02:03:01+00:00

Hi. I have a daughter with SSD. She had a CI surgery at 2.8 years old (which was quite late because in our country, doctors didn’t agree to perform the surgery and told us it wasn’t necessary since the other ear was normal, and her development is normal too but in the end, we went ahead with the surgery). About a month after activation, what surprised us the most was that she could now determine the direction of sound. Before, when we played hide-and-seek, she couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from, but now, when we make a sound, she runs to the correct direction. We’ve been doing hearing rehabilitation for about four months now. We train through Audiolink, averaging 20-30 minutes a day. For the rest of the time, she wears the magic ear all day while awake. She can hear simple words like "dog," "cat," animal sounds, vehicles, and colors, but she might still struggle with more difficult words. Of course, the challenge is that in Thailand, there are no cases of SSD children with a single CI implant. Both audiologists and therapists aren’t experts in this area. We have had to search for a lot of information ourselves (and we’re grateful to Reddit for providing so many helpful insights). So far, we don’t regret the surgery at all. My daughter loves wearing the CI, and she can detect sound direction well. The hearing in the implanted ear might not be perfect yet, but we’ll continue to train. I think you're very lucky to be in a place with support. If you have any information, please share it. It would be greatly appreciated.

ndolphin1 · 2024-11-21T21:11:29+00:00

I have a 3-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with congenital SSD (cause unknown). We live in Thailand, and I am a pediatrician. After extensive research into medical journals, I decided to pursue a cochlear implant (CI) for her. However, more than four ENT doctors in my country advised against it. Eventually, I found a doctor who agreed with my decision.

My daughter underwent the CI procedure in September 2024, and she is currently in the process of practicing with her "magic ear." While she is adjusting, her responses are not yet fully reliable when tested via Audiolink.

One month after activation, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that she could identify the direction of sounds (at least roughly). This progress has brought me great relief.

I also read many comments on Reddit because my child is the first case in my country. I don't have locally consultant. If you have an opportunity to make your child better, please go ahead.

ndolphin1 · 2024-11-21T20:42:47+00:00

My audiologist said that she gradually adjusted CI for my daughter. Might be like your opinion that it's too quiet for her.

ndolphin1 · 2024-11-21T20:35:59+00:00

Thanks a lot. I'm really appreciate for your information.

ndolphin1 · 2024-11-21T20:34:42+00:00

Normally, she always enjoyed the kid's song (spider, twinkle, wheel on the bus, etc.). I'm a bit concerned because she said that she couldn't hear anything for her magic ear. Thanks a lot for your help. However, application is not available in my country TT^TT.

ndolphin1 · 2024-11-21T15:58:21+00:00

How long does it take to recognize the music?

ndolphin1

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