Zoey is a 17-month old female, who’s unaided hearing thresholds indicates she has a bilateral, sensorineural, symmetrical hearing loss. The degree of her hearing loss at 17 months is severe to profound for her left ear and severe for her right ear. Zoey did not pass her newborn hearing screening and at 3 months old, she was diagnosed and fit with hearing aids. Her family has been receiving early intervention services since Zoey was 5 months old. Zoey and her family have an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) to help best treat Zoey’s hearing loss. At 15 months, Zoey’s hearing results were consistent with her 3 month thresholds. At 17 months, Zoey had her hearing levels retested, and her thresholds were below what they were at 15 months. …show more content…
In Zoey’s parent’s reports, they discuss how Zoey has gone from using a few spoken words to no longer using any spoken words. There are many factors included in why Zoey may have decreased spoken words, such as the small amount of time that she wears her hearing aids each day, the lack of vocal input via her parents each day, the amount of time she plays on her iPad and watches TV, the parent’s preferred mode of communication (they both indicate they use simple signs and gestures to communicate with Zoey), and her hearing aids likely are not being fit for her current level of hearing loss. In order for Zoey to increase her spoken vocabulary, she needs constant input. The family needs to understand that no matter what mode of communication they choose for Zoey, she will need constant input. If the parents are committed to constant vocal stimulus, cochlear implants could give Zoey the intensity she needs to effectively communicate with her family and her peers. The cons to changing her current amplification are the family will have to spend a lot of time giving Zoey constant auditory input and will have to learn about a new device. Changing her current amplification to a cochlear implant device, would require invasive surgery and therapy after the surgery. Changing the amplification device can be very emotional and financially tolling for a