Who is a Candidate for a Cochlear Implant?

Young children: 12 months to 17 years

• Profound sensorineural hearing loss (nerve deafness) in both ears 
• Lack of progress in development of hearing skills and language development with hearing aid 
• High motivation and realistic expectations from family 
• No other medical conditions that will interfere with the placement of the implant

Adults: 18 year and over 

• Severe-to-profound sensorineural (nerve deafness) hearing loss in both ears 
• Receive little or no useful benefit from hearing aids 
• Score 50 percent or less on sentence recognition tests in the ear to be implanted and 60 percent or less in the non-implanted ear or bilaterally.