Pediatric Cochlear Implants
When hearing aids no longer provide enough benefit, pediatric cochlear implants may help your child access sound and develop communication skills. At OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, our pediatric cochlear implant program brings together specialists in ear, nose and throat (ENT) care, pediatric audiology and speech-language therapy to evaluate, treat and support children with hearing loss.
What are cochlear implants?
A cochlear implant helps people with severe hearing loss access sound. An external device captures sound and sends it to an implanted device that signals the brain.
Does my child need a cochlear implant?
If your child has severe hearing loss or receives limited benefit from hearing aids, they may be a candidate for a cochlear implant. A comprehensive evaluation helps determine if it's the right option. Your child may qualify if they have significant hearing loss, struggle to understand speech, are not meeting communication milestones, have hearing loss that affects daily life and can safely undergo surgery.
Meet Your Care Team
Your child’s care team may include pediatric otolaryngologists (ENT physicians), audiologists, speech-language pathologists and pediatric specialists who coordinate care throughout the process. We also collaborate closely with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute specialists when additional neurological expertise is needed, ensuring your child receives comprehensive, collaborative care.
What to Expect
Our team will guide your family through each step while answering questions and helping you feel confident about your child's care. Your child’s care journey may include several steps.
Evaluation and Candidacy Testing
Your child will undergo hearing evaluations, medical assessments and consultations to determine whether a cochlear implant is appropriate.
Cochlear Implant Surgery
If your child is a candidate, a pediatric ENT surgeon will place the cochlear implant during a surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia.
Activation and Programming
Several weeks after surgery, the implant is activated and programmed by an audiologist. Multiple appointments may be needed to fine-tune settings as your child adapts to new sounds.
Therapy and Long-Term Support
Learning to interpret sound takes time. Ongoing audiology care, speech-language therapy and regular follow-up visits help your child get the greatest benefit from their cochlear implant.
Why Choose OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois
Our cochlear implant program is always expanding, which helps ensure that your child is taken care of from the start by the expert team at OSF Children's Hospital.
Program highlights include:
- One of the few pediatric cochlear implant programs in Illinois
- Comprehensive evaluation and candidacy testing
- Close collaboration between pediatric ENT, audiology and speech-language specialists
- Family-centered care and education
- Long-term follow-up and cochlear implant programming
- Access to advanced pediatric specialty services through OSF Children's Hospital
Parent Education and Resources
Families often have many questions after a child is diagnosed with hearing loss. The following physician-recommended resources provide reliable information about hearing health, treatment options and support for children with hearing loss:
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Ask for a Referral
Wondering if a cochlear implant may help your child? Ask your child's primary care provider or hearing specialist about a referral to our pediatric cochlear implant team.
