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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Providing Children Access to Natural Hearing through Bilateral Cochlear Implants ' Track: 2-Audiological Assessment and Intervention Audience: Primary Audience: Family of a child with hearing loss Secondary Audience: Early Intervention Provider Tertiary Audeince: Audiologist Keyword(s): Cochlear Implants, Bilateral Hearing, Outcomes, Rehabilitation Learning Objectives: 1. Following the completion of this course the participant will be able to list the benefits of bilateral cochlear implants. 2. Following the completion of this course the participant will be able to identify resources to support listening with 2 ears. 3. Following the completion of this course the participant will be able to describe the technological features of a cochlear implant that allow for better hearing in a real world environment. Abstract: The cochlear implant is an effective treatment option for children with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. A cochlear implant can provide significant access to sound, which offers the potential for many children to close developmental gaps due to hearing loss, develop spoken language, and follow their normal hearing peers into a mainstreamed school. However, children implanted unilaterally commonly face challenges in everyday listening such as hearing in noise, understanding and participating in a conversation with more than one person, and localizing sound. Because of these challenges there has been growing interest in bilateral cochlear implants. Within the last 5 years the number of children receiving 2 cochlear implants has increased substantially. We know now that bilateral cochlear implants present an opportunity for a child to develop listening in both ears and ultimately develop skills which contribute to binaural hearing. The advantages of binaural hearing for a child include, but are not limited to: better access to language through incidental learning; the development of skills which improve listening in challenging acoustical environments; and the development of skills which allow the child to localize sound. This presentation will explore the benefits of hearing with two ears, the growing interest in bilateral cochlear implantation in young children and considerations for providing rehabilitation to a child with two cochlear implants. Presentation(s): Not Available Handouts: Not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S): Carissa Moeggenberg - Advanced Bionics      Credentials: Pediatric Audiologist, M.A, CCC-A       Carissa Moeggenberg completed both a Bachelor’s of Science (1991) and a Master’s of Audiology (1992) from Central Michigan University. Upon completing these degrees she joined the University of Michigan’s Cochlear Implant team where she served as a pediatric audiologist for over 10 years. Following her passion for cochlear implants and rehabilitation of children and adults with a severe to profound hearing loss she joined Advanced Bionics in 2002. Presently she is the Manager of Education, Training and Rehabilitation in which she develops resources and education programs and resources developed for children and adult with hearing loss. She is also working on her Doctorate of Audiology degree through Central Michigan University’s Distance Learning Program. Carissa has co-authored several publications on cochlear implantation and has presented nationally on cochlear implantation and aural rehabilitation. She lives in Michigan with her husband and 2 children.   AUTHOR(S): Carissa Moeggenberg - Advanced Bionics      Credentials: Pediatric Audiologist, M.A, CCC-A       BIO: Carissa Moeggenberg completed both a Bachelor’s of Science (1991) and a Master’s of Audiology (1992) from Central Michigan University. Upon completing these degrees she joined the University of Michigan’s Cochlear Implant team where she served as a pediatric audiologist for over 10 years. Following her passion for cochlear implants and rehabilitation of children and adults with a severe to profound hearing loss she joined Advanced Bionics in 2002. Presently she is the Manager of Education, Training and Rehabilitation in which she develops resources and education programs and resources developed for children and adult with hearing loss. She is also working on her Doctorate of Audiology degree through Central Michigan University’s Distance Learning Program. Carissa has co-authored several publications on cochlear implantation and has presented nationally on cochlear implantation and aural rehabilitation. She lives in Michigan with her husband and 2 children.