By Carolyn, mum to bi-lateral implant user Lily, aged 9
I don’t know why we didn’t try until now but tonight - for the first time - we tested to see if Lily could tell which direction sound was coming from.
I think I was scared – I never really believed it would work well enough for us laypersons to notice. I imagined sophisticated equipment would be needed to measure the slight gain. And when your child has never been able to tell which direction sound is coming from, it is somehow unimaginable that she will ever really be able to do it. Also I suppose I thought Lily would have to wear the implants together for a significant amount of time for her brain to sort out direction. I thought years.
Well six months and one week is the right amount of time for her. Les and I couldn’t believe it. In a very strictly controlled test - as only professionals and experienced parents of a very smart deaf child could set up – Lily was one hundred percent correct.
I am so excited about bi-lateral implants – how amazing. She is so lucky we managed to get the second implant in time. Thank you National Services Division – Scottish Executive. What a difference to make to a person’s whole life.
