Hearing For Children
It is important to realize that there is no cure for
deafness. Prevention programs are necessary, but once someone has become
deaf, there is no cure. There is an excellent treatment for deafness,
however, and that is a cochlear implant. Hearing for Children
is therefore currently pursuing two main research initiatives:
- Funding research to lower the cost
of cochlear implants. Our target retail price is $1,500. The
lower cost of these products would dramatically increase their
availability to those millions in most of the world's countries
who cannot afford the present cost (~=$30,000 US or more) of presently
available cochlear implants.
("I
want to help create these implants!")
- Designing a new processor for single electrode, inductively-coupled
cochlear implants. This new processor, preliminary results indicate,
could increase the clarity of the signal the patient hears through
better sound frequency resolution.
("I
want to help create this new processor!")
- Finally, we are pursuing a grant to research the use of cochlear
implants in the suppression of tinnitus, a "phantom noise" that is
experienced by almost a quarter of the world's population, and which
is severe enough in perhaps 1% that it disrupts daily life. Imagine,
if you will, living next to a jet engine 24 hours a day, but being
unable to escape from it or to turn it off...
("I
want to help fund this important research!")
As well, as mentioned elsewhere on this site (see "stories"),
Hearing for Children is involved with developing and assisting with
projects in countries around the world to help deaf children and adults
overcome deafness. Presently, we have projects on-going or in the planning
stages in Brazil, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Mexico, and India.
("I
want to help children in these countries!")
We also hope to expand our program to new countries.
("I
want to help open up new countries!")
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