Hearing with Two Cochlear Implants Really Is Better than One

To be honest, at the time, we didn’t know much about cochlear implants at all. We chose AB because many other families in our city of Tianjin chose CIs from AB and reported great results. Since AB is an American company, we also trust that it is reputable and reliable. 

Si Chen had his first CI surgery when he was thirteen months old. He went into the operating room at 8:00 a.m. and came out 12:00 p.m. Even though it was only a few hours, it was nevertheless a nerve-wracking time for us parents waiting anxiously outside. 

When Si Chen woke up from the anesthesia, he kept crying. But he recovered quickly, and was already playing by 8:00 p.m. the same night. He stayed in the hospital for five days and recovered uneventfully. 

We regret not having recorded the activation of his CI, but it was a day that we will always remember. When the CI was switched on, Si Chen immediately started crying. We cried, too. 

For a month after activation, Si Chen was reluctant to wear the sound processor every morning. But over time, as he got more and more used to it, it was obvious that he was developing a lot more awareness of sound. One specific example was that before the implant, he always slept very well in the crib. But two weeks after activation, if someone started talking nearby, he would blink and wake up. 

Because of the nature of Si Chen’s hearing loss, at first we weren’t sure if a CI would be successful for him. We went into it thinking we could give it a try. Even with aural rehabilitation, Si Chen didn’t start talking until six months post-implantation. But gradually, we noticed that his speech was very clear compared to other kids his age in his class with CIs from other manufacturers. The teacher also rated his progress as “very good.”

After Si Chen got his second implant, he always wanted to wear them both. When we asked him why, he told us that with two, he could hear better and clearer. We also observed that with bilateral implants, it takes less effort for him to hear and understand. He’s even more aware of the sounds around him. With both implants, we can talk to him without the need to repeat ourselves. With only one, Si Chen is more likely to ask us to say things more than once. 

So, our personal experience confirmed what the experts told us before—hearing with two ears really is better than one. 

Si Chen is now almost five years old. He attends a “regular” preschool alongside children with normal hearing. Our only wish for him is that he will grow up like any other kid, go to school, build a career, stay healthy and happy. Then we will have done a good job as parents.