Double cochlear implants improve grades: study

A study of primary school students with hearing loss has shown children with double cochlear implants performed much better in exams than kids with only one. The University of Melbourne study measured academic performance of 44 profoundly deaf 8-year-olds across Australia and New Zealand. Children using bilateral cochlear implants achieved significantly higher scores for maths, oral language and literacy. The younger child was when receiving the second implant, the bigger the improvement. Due to this research, the New Zealand Government now fully subsidises bilateral cochlear implants. Dr Julia Sarant, from the University of Melbourne Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, said this research indicates it is vital the Australian Government follows New Zealand’s example. “Bilateral cochlear implants are not publicly funded in Australia, although they are in New Zealand,” Sarant says. “We're hoping that given the significantly better outcomes these kids have, and the greater chance of having a normal life this gives them, the government will consider funding these for all children in Australia so they have a chance to have the same quality of life as all the hearing children.” Children with profound hearing loss historically learn at about 55 to 65 per cent of the rate of kids with standard hearing, and tend to fall behind each year they are at school. The repercussions include low literacy, social isolation, unemployment and depression. Right now, to get a second implant, parents need to have private health insurance or they must get special permission from the government to dip into funds allocated for single cochlear implants.