Hearing the World

Imagine giving your child the gift of sound — to hear music, share a conversation or simply engage with life in a new way. That’s the power of cochlear implants. They open up a new sense to your child and allow them to access relationships and experience their surroundings in a whole new way.

Think your child may be a candidate for pediatric cochlear implants? You and your child will work with our team of experts in audiology, clinical social work, speech and language pathology, child life, surgery and otolaryngology to help find the best hearing loss treatment plan possible. We’ll evaluate your child’s hearing abilities with and without hearing aids to help determine if cochlear implants are appropriate. If so, after your child receives the cochlear implants, our audiologists will set the computer program of the implants so your child can receive the best possible auditory input.

Meet Our Team

The cochlear implant team at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children will guide you and your child through the process of surgical implantation, activation and monitoring. Here, you’ll work with a variety of professionals, including:

Audiologists who evaluate your child’s hearing abilities through a comprehensive cochlear implant evaluation. Our audiologists also help program the implant and meet with your child for follow-up appointments to fine-tune the implant’s settings.

Clinical social workers who work with your family to assess family strengths, resources and coping skills to identify issues that could impact your family’s adjustment to your child’s hearing loss.

Child life specialists who aim to minimize the impact on your child from stressful life events, such as hearing loss, hospitalization and surgery. Your child will work with a child life specialist to become familiar with the hospital and learn about what to expect before and after surgery through the use of teaching dolls, medical equipment and a hospital tour.

Speech language pathologists who work to facilitate your child’s communications skills, including language development, speech development, and listening and attending skills.