Three of Wyoming couple's five kids undergo life-changing cochlear implant procedures in Colorado

[@simonbanks3058]

God bless all you guys. My son was recently diagnosed and to see you guys making it work and all three of yours living normal lives is just awesome!

[@DippyHippie]

Cochlear implant’s were a miracle for me!😊

[@Mike-do8bc]

Beautiful children! Great parents! Wonderful family! ❤

[@ajaybhagwani8155]

Beautifulchildren!Greatparents!Wonderful

[@jeanettebuckman830]

Glad that it has brought sound to them . Its a wonderful device and was invented here in Australia.

[@vickistine9388]

What a wonderful family! So exciting to see the progress of the three kiddos. The oldest of the three is Mr Personality!!

[@heatherkirby1677]

The 11-year-old is just like my 14- year- old in the hearing booth! How many more beeps? Are we done yet? LOL COCHLEAR IMPLANTS ARE AWESOME!

[@katherineayers5586]

Cute Cute Cute. So glad the parents have been so involved with each child SINCE BIRTH. That is wonderful and I think you both have had fun!! I can tell your children have!!

[@katherineayers5586]

Such good looking and cute kids! All five have individual personalities! Good job, Mom and Dad!!

[@mortalclown3812]

This family is awesome. I'd be proud to be their auntie.

[@ruthbrower8152]

They have three deaf kids and they didn’t learn sign language?

[@sittingindetroit9204]

My is profoundly deaf and got his hearing aids at 17 months. Luckily he wanted to talk and is totally fluent in ASL and a fantastic lip reader. From about 2, we had him in school to learned “content interpretation” which allowed him to better understand the subject matter of conversations with minimized information. Over the years I have had many conversations with people who didn’t believe he was deaf. The masking of society has been very difficult for him.

[@0r0r0]

Thank you for sharing! That's so terrible he has to mask to such a high degree and at all. That must be hard for him. Hopefully he's happy and content, either way I'm sending lots of love to you and him!

[@DippyHippie]

I just don’t understand why someone like MarLee Matlin believes cochlear implant’s are bad? Why wouldn’t a person want to hear their child’s laughter?

[@sittingindetroit9204]

@@DippyHippie the deaf community feels their culture is being attacked and feel they don’t have to be “fixed”. There is a history of the hearing community trying to “fix” deaf people. For a couple of decades in the 1900s using and teaching sign language was forbidden at deaf schools to force deaf people to communicate “normally”. As you can imagine, the deaf community resented this greatly and caused a wall with the do-gooders

[@krisw5318]

@@DippyHippie There are risks involved in the surgery required to implant the cochlear (risks of anesthesia, possible damage to the facial nerve leading to facial paralysis, leakage of cerebrospinal fluid or perilymph fluid, meningitis, tinnitus, vertigo, the body rejecting the implant, etc.). Also a person cannot have an MRI if they've got a CI. And, the surgery destroys most of a person's residual hearing - so after the surgery, a person who could once hear some sounds no longer can unless they're wearing the cochlear. So they can't hear anything on the implanted side after they go to bed, if they're in a bath or shower, if they're swimming, if the battery has died, or if one of the components of the cochlear has failed for another reason. The implants themselves don't work for everyone. And, with children, there's an issue of consent - a young child or a pre-lingual child cannot understand the risks or potential benefits of the device. After the surgery is done, although a person can choose not to wear the external components, they cannot undo any damage done during the surgery. It's not so simple as whether or not a person wants to hear their child's laughter. A parent who cannot hear their child's laughter can still experience it by watching their child or, if they're holding their child, by feeling their laughter.

[@alina1548]

Iam Born with bilateral deafness, I got both of my Advanced Bionics Cochlear Implants Implanted, in 2006 ❤️

[@simonbanks3058]

@ Alina, my son was just diagnosed, can you tell me what it has done for you and what perhaps you are unable to do with them? Thanks so much.

[@nylanelson8660]

What cute kids. Hope the implants work for them. Some deaf people find hearing all the sounds after getting implants too overwhelming & then have them removed

[@0r0r0]

"if it's not genetic, we're gonna start playing the lottery!" -- Mom Love how she sees their hearing difficulties as positives, because they are!! Awesome parents, awesome kids, great family 😀

[@MNChoirMom]

The mother stated "Or else learn sign language" as if she couldn't be bothered by it. That is so sad. I'm glad the kids have CI, but I certainly hope she has them learn ASL as a valid second language. it certainly will not hurt them (the whole family) at all.

[@dontmindme.imjustafraidofe9327]

Besides, they’re deaf. They’re always going to be deaf.

[@maryseflore7028]

ASL is like a second language. It's very beneficial to know more than one language, no matter which ones. Imagine if CI didn't exist...

[@LuckyBadger]

I know, that made me furious! My mom was a state certified sign language interpreter, and I grew up in the Deaf community. My daughter has progressive hearing loss, and in addition to using aids or maybe implants some day, she is learning sign language right now. Having more ways of connecting with other people is never a bad thing.

[@harmony8623]

Exactly. They will always be deaf. You can’t play sports with Cochlear’s as they are fragile, can’t wear them in the shower or pool or water, they go flat or break easily… in all those circumstances you go deaf again. And you get pushed to talk and often don’t get a chance to meet any Deaf communities. So sad

[@DippyHippie]

@@harmony8623holy cow…negative much? I have one & yes all those things CAN HAPPEN but I can also get hit by a bus if I go out in traffic!

[@jameswest8280]

My wife has lost almost all of her hearing, 110db. This is very encouraging, and cute as heck.

[@yanaeccles4088]

God thank you for these miracles.

[@rachelhoulet4850]

Thanks so much for sharing this experience 😊 my heart just melted ❤️

[@beckywiese4484]

Learning sign language isn't a bad thing. I have a child who is deaf and no CI. When they take their CI off, their still deaf. Learn sign language parents.

[@zoritsanepenthe638]

Exactly! I had a student who had a cochlear implant and when he had to have a surgery,he couldn’t wear it for a whole week. Nothing we could do in class because he didn’t know sign language. I wrote notes down for him,but that was about it.

[@krisw5318]

Learning sign language is a wonderful thing! Infants can learn to sign at an earlier age than they can learn to speak clearly, so sign enhances communication during the early years - for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing children. Why not learn sign?

[@marigondonvlogger9679]

I have a daughter need a cochlear implant also,but we are desided both my husband to do not do the surgery coz it takes a million money here in Philippines and we do not know if after are the surgery functioning 20/80% if will do the surgery.

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Learn Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration)

[@md9mrm167]

When they said it’s either that or learn sign language.......

[@jomathis2875]

ASL is beautiful, yes. But not many people know it! OF COURSE it's more practical to have a CI. I have a friend who wears one and she's able to communicate easily with everyone and never feels excluded as did my father when his hearing failed in old age. It was isolated and lonely. Is THAT what you want for these YOUNG children????

[@mollyrogers5851]

It's difficult. Small children often do better with the implants, especially if they're put in before or during speech development. For their older son, it's a little weird that he wasn't already using sign language, but a little different if his hearing loss was progressive. As harsh as it sounds, the world is more open to them and will be more accepting to them if they can hear.

[@irumaita]

​@@jomathis2875 @Molly Rogers Hey, I don't think @Maria Mrn meant it that way. 😊 At least it's not the way I saw it. I was raised using hearing aids only (wouldn't change a thing about that!), found out about sign language and Deaf culture later as an adult and still, that phrase stuck on me, because the truth is that now I know that, unlike to what most of doctors say, you DON'T have to choose one or another. YOU CAN HAVE BOTH. Can you imagine how powerful is that combination? Specially in this case with 3 deaf siblings! There are many situations in life where you may not use your devices: shower, swimming, beach, sleeping... and some others where you just don't want to use them: need to focus on studying, just woke up and not ready for sound yet, you're tired... Or maybe they fail you in noisy environments (that happens pretty often!), they are broken or you just run out of battery. Wouldn't you want to have in your hand all resources available so in these situations you wouldn't feel isolated or compromised? Imagine now 3 siblings in the same situation, trying to get through those barriers at the same time between them! Again, I absolutely don't regret being raised with hearing devices, in the hearing world. That made me the woman I am today and I aboslutely can't live without sound! But pretty often I miss not having that ability to not to rely exclusively on my devices to communicate. 🦻🏻🤟🏼💖

[@kawardle]

I learned from some people that happen to be deaf that only 20% of hearing parents of deaf children actually learn ASL. That is a terrifying ratio.

[@krisw5318]

@@jomathis2875 It's not an either-or decision. Having a CI does not prevent anyone from learning ASL or any other sign language! And knowing sign language allows a person to communicate when they're not wearing the CI, when it fails, and before they learn to communicate orally (young infants can learn to sign at an earlier age than they can learn to speak clearly orally). It's more practical to be able to communicate in an accessible language!

[@sagesufferswell]

"Is it dramatic? If it's not, we are going to start playing the lottery" They should have absolutely learned and taught them all ASL anyway in addition. An extra language is always good especially unspoken and then they can communicate with other deaf people and disabled ISN'T A DIRTY WORD.

[@jelkhorncamper6062]

I’m going to say it! That Nora, as a girl, will talk their ears off!! They better listen 🤗😘

[@jpmasters-aus]

Wow - the hearing testing facilities are so much more child friendly compared to when I had hearing issues from the middle 1960s through to the late 1970s

[@amandanz1973]

Yea like me, born in 1973, wasn’t diagnosed 85% deaf until I was 4. 😢

[@tm13tube]

Much respect to the hearing angels.

[@miname3936]

Either that or learn sign language, yeah. what's wrong with sign language ? You're not disabled because you can't hear. You're missing a big part of the world, but if you're born deaf why is this a big deal. Society should be more accepting of deaf people. It'd be a positive thing for people in Middle School to have the option to learn sign language.

[@Adelicows]

If you can only use sign language, then you will have an incredibly difficult time communicating with other people, unless you live in a deaf community. Do you enjoy music? Listening to birds or the creek? Cats purring? Listening to podcasts while you clean the house? Do you enjoy being able to hear approaching cars? What if someone tried to break into your house? Nice job sounding inclusive, but I can't believe you are asking this.

[@krisw5318]

​@@Adelicows Learning sign language does not prevent a person from enjoying music; it allows a person to understand the lyrics when they're interpreted into sign - even when the lyrics are impossible to hear & understand otherwise. Whether to learn sign and provide one's children with access to sign and whether or not to have one's child implanted with a cochlear implant are two completely different decisions. The surgery to implant a cochlear implant tends to destroy any residual hearing on that side - so people with cochlear implants cannot hear on the side(s) on which they have implants when they're not wearing the implants. If they're swimming, in a shower, in a bath, if the battery of the processor has died, etc. - unless they know sign language (or a manually coded version of a spoken language), they do not have full access to communication (unless they are old enough to read and write and have access to pen, paper, etc.)).

[@jenniferg749]

Beautiful family!♥️

[@lauraanderson7492]

Learning sign language is not a curse. I bet at least one of these children go into a field to aid sign language people

[@mjremy2605]

I wish they had this for dogs and cats.

[@chrisbodum3621]

"Either that or learn sign language" wasn't a finishing statement proposing one option over the other or that they couldn't be bothered with learning sign language, it was simply a small part of an interview/conversation where they told their story to the programme maker.

[@sarahspindler2914]

She may not have meant it like it sounded. I think she just wanted her kids to have access to sound. I could be wrong though

[@krisw5318]

The way she said it sounded as if she were saying sign language was a horrible idea; a last resort, rather than an additional language to enable the family - all of them - to communicate regardless of whether or not the deaf children are wearing their CI's. I hope she didn't mean it the way she said it; hopefully the family knows at least some basic signs!

[@ashtonn214]

well when he said he didnt want to call it a disability that truly shows how they feel

[@hollybug-76542]

Bingo! These parents are in denial of their kid's lifelong disability and made it fairly clear they were against sign language. There's a reason the oldest can read lips so well. My cousin didn't talk until he was about 5 yo because my uncle refused to admit he had a problem. His refusal to allow my aunt to have him tested despite a family history (on my aunts side) of hearing issues. One of her sisters was completely deaf, and she had severe hearing loss. But he refused to believe his son had a disability. Ridiculous

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

@@krisw5318what about Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration)?

[@blackberrylady9265]

Gorgeous beautiful kids....fantastic great job 👏🏼 👍🏾 👌🏾 😀 🙌🏾 ❤️

[@annamarielewis7078]

Such a sweet family.💝

[@beckywiese4484]

Sign language is useful. Your children are still deaf, but cochlear implants help. I have a deaf daughter that wears hearing aids.

[@marigondonvlogger9679]

I have a daughter also that need a cochlear implant.but we don't do the surgery coz it takes a million money here in Philippines and they cannot make sure if after the surgery are functioning..now she's learning sign language

[@JohnJones-mu5mh]

very cute Children thank you for sharing I hope the best for all of you

[@applejuice8271]

1:52 oh nooo! Sign language, what a nightmare! Honestly tho, why not both? They have 3 deaf kids and it would make them less dependent to the device .

[@dontmindme.imjustafraidofe9327]

I agree. I hate the way they said that like sign language is an inconvenience or something. If anything, I think it’s the exact opposite. You can sign through windows, underwater, in really loud places, the library or the bookstore, you can even talk crap about people and hope they don’t understand you, or if you want to have a private conversation and don’t want people to know your business, you can sign. There’s so many benefits, also I love how deaf people’s facial expression’s are super easy to read because they’re so exaggerated❤

[@dontmindme.imjustafraidofe9327]

I agree. I hate the way they said that like sign language is an inconvenience or something. If anything, I think it’s the exact opposite. You can sign through windows, underwater, in really loud places, the library or the bookstore, you can even talk crap about people and hope they don’t understand you, or if you want to have a private conversation and don’t want people to know your business, you can sign. There’s so many benefits, also I love how deaf people’s facial expression’s are super easy to read because they’re so exaggerated❤

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Sign language is illegal!

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration) may be legal

[@garypierre8288]

Wow man looking at these kids after surgery gives me hope for my surgery

[@MegaDeansy]

Wow - all of them are cute-as !

[@DahMehHuman]

I kind of wish they would learn sign language. Sometimes wearing cochlear implants can be overwhelming and a lot of kids will take it off from time to time. So learning sign language can be a huge help and strengthen the bond when they don’t want the cochlear implant device on. Just saying from experiences.

[@deborahdeb9942]

Beautiful children

[@phoenixblunt6550]

Beautiful ❤

[@AlmostMiddleAgedASMR]

omg nora is so freaking adorbs!!!!!!

[@Briannafrancis-e9g]

So many people don’t know it exits! Not just the kids! You need to make documentaries for adults or videos to teach kids at school

[@stephanieyee9784]

My mother has a cochlear implant and my sister and I wear hearing aids.

[@tiffanymarkins4973]

My dr said I was going to have ear implants

[@carloduran7135]

😂😂😂 cuteness overload

[@eileenstehr7680]

Priceless and Precious

[@reekwind1294]

How come they are all so cute?

[@lost619]

Is Jackson the kid from Dhar Mann videos? Just curious. Bless them all though glad modern technology can help! I can't begin to imagine life without sound :(

[@muhammadyousafiqbal565]

Great Job Doc!

[@theforgottendinosaur]

that mother bothers me so much,specially when she said "it was either that or learn sign language" what's so bad about learning ASL? it's either that or have my children be bilingual and who wants that. How did they even afford 3 of them? one cochlear can range between 50K-100K

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Did you learn Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration)?

[@nemo227]

The sound of kids playing IS MUSIC TO ME.

[@cnote459]

Life is hard. We are cursed because this world was meant to be a healthy paradise for humans. I believe God has promised us a better world without pain and sorrow if you trust in him. ❤

[@jomathis2875]

LOVE!

[@wongsifu460]

nora is such a cutie

[@thenewgolddigger1015]

So precious

[@alisonancell6047]

Just wonderful🥰🥰

[@antaviousbaker633]

ANTAVIOUS D BAKER

[@alphabrenna]

It’s important to learn sign language if your children are deaf. CI or not.

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Nahhh sign language isn't important because it's not universal

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration) is recommended

[@joany11swatch14]

Why have Five kids !? That’s crazy

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Like $250k without insurance lol

[@hollybug-76542]

Glad they got implants but would hope these parents and kid's also learn sign language.. the dad sounded very against it and in some denial his children have a disability, and will for have for life implants or not.

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

No no no sign language is illegal after cochlear implant

[@shellanacion4008]

I wish my child could have like that....

[@AvaPettus]

❤ mom can I get a earing aid ❤ to wear

[@truebluedreams]

What's so wrong with learning sign language? It would be wonderful if they could use ASL. Imagine the community they could be a bigger part of if only they could speak to other deaf folk.

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

Why don't you learn Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration)

[@antaviousbaker633]

ANTAVIOUS D BAKER LAGRANGE HIGH SCHOOL 🎒😷🏫😷🎒 LHS GRANGERS

[@AileenOnMobile]

Me thinking KF all of the money they spend on for there kind child’s :

[@curiouscath7629]

Awesome ✌️

[@MariaJoseMartinezGarcia-yk6cc]

Sign lenguaje should be learned for everyone, naturaly since childhood, but three of five deaf?!?! I don't understand!!!!

[@Dee-gi4ge]

They are too closely related, shouldn’t marry and have children with your cousin.

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

You should learn Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration)!

[@muhammadmubeen5167]

Reasons of deaf and blaind

[@danaday7266]

💖💖💖

[@chiarakemperdick8914]

Deaf

[@Ivehadenuff]

Good for them for helping their children the best way they could. People are so judgmental. The surgery isn’t that horrible and the kids can take them out if they choose when they are older. Don’t expect people who have lived a different life from you to come to the same conclusions as you. Allah and God are the same, just different names. Humans decide the expectations of God and that has changed over time. False gods are anyone who pretends to know more about God than others. We all know the same thing about God. Nothing. Religious people study human thoughts about God. They do not know God anymore than anyone else. Deafness from Allah? False Allah to you for saying something you do not know to be true. False God to other guy for saying there is only one God...his version of God. Talking out your butt, you don’t know that to be true. It was a mean thing to say. Is that Godly? Being hurtful?

[@harmony8623]

Except implants can make any current hearing much worse, not help at all, and have many other negative issues. My sign language teacher (who is Deaf, as they should *always* be) went in depth about this topic with my class a few times and a strong majority in our local Deaf community strongly oppose cochlears for numerous reasons. These parents made sign language seem like an inconvenience, but it is one of the best tools for deaf people, *especially* children. So much misinformation out there makes people believe children are better off with hearing aids or cochlears, when sign language and a strong community are much more valuable.

[@krisw5318]

@@harmony8623 Agreed. And even if the parents don't feel capable of becoming fluent in ASL, they should be able to learn basic signs - and they might find out it's not so challenging as they thought - and they can communicate with all of their children at the beach or a swimming pool, when the kids have their CIs off at bedtime, etc. I'm hard of hearing - not deaf - and none of my co-workers really sign - but it absolutely makes my day when one of them makes the effort to sign one of the words they do know. I can only imagine how meaningful it would be -especially for the older kids - if their parents suddenly started to make the effort to communicate in a way that works for them at a time they're not wearing the CI!

[@crflmendes]

Deaf👂🏼🚫

[@raniaaldaoud-samaan7273]

Did they get the brain chip these kids so they can hear better ??????

[@kariabitz1810]

👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

[@dinachristine]

are you from the deaf community? it’s my understanding that many deaf people do not agree with this surgery. personally i would be torn…but the one thing that the mother said really pissed me off….either the surgery or learn sign language…i have a cousin who is deaf. one day as a child, maybe around 4 or 5 met a young boy who wanted to be friends. when he found out my cousin was deaf got his mom to buy him a book to learn ASL. many years later as best man at my cousin’s wedding his speech was done entirely in ASL which was translated by HIS wife. both were ASL translators. the most beautiful thing is my cousin’s ENTIRE family has learned ASL. from his parents to nieces and nephews.

[@kariabitz1810]

Yes I am Deaf. I do have hearing aids can help than stupid cochlear implants sometime not help 💯 %. Also not active can’t have it sports or swimming or airplane .. cochlear implants can damage or bad headache often depending !! My grandson or granddaughter deaf. No thank cochlear implants !!!! Feel sorry children or adults !!! Bad cochlear implants!!!!

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

@@dinachristineCued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration) is recommended but opinional

[@SC_jamesbond007jua]

@@kariabitz1810Baha SoundaArc is non surgical

[@blackyrocky7438]

Deafness is from Allah. Always remember Allah and pray for our goods. Different people have different problems in their life.

[@shantidavid6062]

Don't spiritualise this. The kids had a problem. The parents found a way to rectify the problem. These kids are blessed to have parents who are willing to try to help their kids. These are awesome parents. It would good to say something nice, encourage them. And leave pleasing comments in such situations. Just saying.

[@blackyrocky7438]

@@shantidavid6062 there is something that humans cannot do nothing such as a cancer, kidney failure, liver failure. Yes I know there is possible treatment for it but every expensive. Poor people can't afford it. So only thing you can have peace in your heart is to remind of Allah so you will feel peace in your mind. Don't overthink.. I know that trying is better than just depending on God not doing something for it. But when you do something , you still can't get it.

[@blackyrocky7438]

@Anahita Karimi you have bad deeds. After death, Allah will take your exam. I don't say that you will be in hell but I can't decide it only the god can decide it. Nothing else

[@blackyrocky7438]

I didn't say anything wrong. You can't get cure of deafness. Yes some illnesses can be reversed but something illnesses are life threating and long lasting. So if you want to have peace in your mind, remind of Allah.

[@jomathis2875]

@@shantidavid6062 Absolutely!! Just as my parents allowed me to be able to see better by getting glasses, these parents have done the same with CI/hearing aids. Ridiculous not to take advantage of the technology if it's available.

[@cindyfolkert8599]

❤❤❤❤