Entering the World of Sounds: An Autobiographical Case Report on Ethical Issues Surrounding Cochlear Implants

Cochlear implants are considered a viable therapeutic option for deaf children and adults who meet the implant criteria. They enable the hearing impaired to deal with the effects of deafness and participate academically, socially, and vocationally with their family and peers, aiding them to live a life with fewer limitations in the world of spoken languages. Most importantly, cochlear implants counteract the impact of profound deafness in early childhood, in which the ability to develop spoken language is severely restricted. For these children, cochlear implants represent the only means of hearing speech, resulting in the development of meaningful oral communication abilities. Over the past decades, there have been intense debates about communication philosophies for deaf or hard-of-hearing children, the nature and concept of deafness, the value and diversity of the deaf culture, the purpose of deaf education, and the best education systems for deaf or hard-of-hearing children. There are two broad camps in the debate over cochlear implantation: those who embrace the technique and those who oppose it. In this paper, we describe my own journey from total deafness to the beginning of a dream career as an otorhinolaryngology resident. We also engage in a discussion about the ethical concerns associated with cochlear implantation.