What's The Story?

The baby in this image has a cochlear implant clearly in view. About 200 children a year receive implants in the UK. Children are not usually given an implant before they are one year old, but if a child who is born deaf is to get the full benefit from an implant it is best that they are fitted before the age of five. Cochlear implants give a sensation of hearing if you are profoundly deaf. They are electronic devices made up of two parts, external and internal. The external part is worn like a hearing aid either on your head or clipped to your clothes - the internal part is surgically implanted in your ear. For more information visit www.ndcs.org.uk or www.rnid.org.uk

One response to the image was to suggest that this side of the story needed to be pointed out:

This medical advancement has raised debates within the Deaf community about the cultural identity of Deaf people who believe they are a linguistic minority and are proud of their identity.