Cochlear Implantation Program

The Cochlear Implant Program at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is a collaborative program with Froedtert Hospital and The Medical College of Wisconsin. It is the largest cochlear implant program in Wisconsin and recognized nationally for its strong clinical program, participation in investigational studies and ongoing research related to cochlear implantation.

We offer diagnosis and treatment for:
Children with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (loss of hearing resulting from problems in the inner ear, in the nerve from the inner ear to the brain, or in the brain) who may be cochlear implant candidates and those who already have been implanted.

We provide the following services:

Evaluation for implantation.
Device programming.
Aural rehabilitation therapy.
Speech/language evaluation and therapy.
Educational consultation and collaboration with the schools and other local service providers.
Post-implant communication assessment.
Parent and family support groups.

What happens at a visit?
For an initial cochlear implant evaluation, our specialists gather information about your family and look at previous audiological records. You child then is scheduled for any necessary appointments.

A comprehensive evaluation would include the following appointments:

Audiological - to obtain individual ear information both with and without hearing aids, speech perception testing to evaluate how well the child is able to understand speech through hearing aids alone, and extensive discussion of these test results and issues related to cochlear implant candidacy. This appointment typically is three hours. For younger children, several appointments may be needed.
Speech/Language - to obtain information about the child's communication abilities and identify ways to help the child further develop these communication skills. This appointment is about three hours. After the appointment, a report of the results, with recommendations, is sent to the family as well as the child's school and other medical specialists, if needed.
CT scan or MRI of the cochlea - to provide the surgeon information about the status of the cochlea.
Otological - to discuss the surgical issues related to cochlear implantation and to determine if the child is a good candidate. Results of the CT scan or MRI are discussed and families are encouraged to ask the surgeon questions about the procedure.
Psychological - to evaluate the child's learning ability and psychological appropriateness for cochlear implantation. This is a two to three hour appointment that takes place at Children's Hospital's Child Development Center.
Device discussion - if the family is interested, or if the child is likely to receive a cochlear implant, the audiologist will review each of the available cochlear implant devices with the family (and child when appropriate). This two-hour session sometimes is combined with one of the initial audiological evaluations.
Post-implant expectations discussion - throughout the evaluation process, the family will be told what results they can expect as well as the necessary post-implant follow up. There will be many opportunities for families to ask questions.

Who will I see?

Audiology - one or two cochlear implant audiologists work with the child during the testing, depending on the age of the child. These specialists also work with children after implantation and are able to discuss the post-implant process.
Speech/Language - a speech/language pathologist with experience in evaluation of children with hearing loss.
Otological - David R. Friedland, MD, PhD, neurotologist, who leads the Cochlear Implant Program at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
Psychological - Robert Schum, PhD, pediatric psychologist at Children's Hospital and an associate professor of Pediatrics at The Medical College of Wisconsin, with extensive experience in evaluation of children with hearing loss and communication disorders.

All of our audiologists and speech-language therapists are highly skilled with extensive training and a master's or doctorate degree.

Contact us
To receive an informational packet, discuss whether your child might be a candidate, or be scheduled for an evaluation, call (414) 266-2685 or email us at cochlear.implant@mcw.edu. For more information, visit www.mcw.edu/OTO/ClinicalPrograms/KossCochlearImplantProgram.

Clinic location
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee