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From: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: (2 Of 2): Genetic Engineering?
Message-ID: <18614@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 11 Apr 91 04:42:30 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 > Maybe there is a new implant especially for children I
 > don't know about. However, I know one person who wears
 > a cochlear implant and she had all kinds of trouble with
 > it because the thing broke and it was expensive to repair.
 >  She had to wear something around her waist (I forget what
 > you call it, but it looked like a small transistor radio.
 >  This was in turn plugged into an electrode in her head.
 >  It looked extremely complicated...I can just imagine
 > a kid trying to take care of that!

Elizabeth, it can't be any more difficult to manage than the
old hearing aids that everyone wore years ago.  I even tried
one for several weeks and it didn't prevent me from any of
my normal everyday physical activities or playing in the dirt,
etc.

I agree with Jack that cochlear implants are not for everyone.  I
have a very close friend who lives in California who has a cochlear
implant that did not help him but I've also met others who have
one and it's made a world of difference in their quality of life.

Sometimes we just have to take the chance even though it may not
always work.  It's definitely worth a try one way or the other.

--
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