C - F
Cochlea: Forms the inner ear. It is a spiral-shaped bony casing that has many tiny nerve endings inside.
Cochlear Implant: A surgically implanted electronic device that bypasses damaged structures in the inner ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing some deaf children to learn to hear and interpret sounds and speech.
Comfort Level (C Level): The Maximum Comfort Level is the highest electrical stimulation level that does not produce an uncomfortable sensation for a child using a cochlear implant.
Conditioned PlayAudiometry (CPA): Child responds to sound by performing an action (for instance, putting a block in a bucket or a peg in a pegboard) immediately after he detects a sound.
Conductive Hearing Loss: Something is wrong with the outer ear - for instance, no opening to the ear canal. Problems with the middle ear can be the result of fluid in the middle ear - or there can be something wrong with the three little bones in the middle ear. Sometimes a conductive hearing loss is temporary when it is the kind of problem that can be medically treated.
Congenital Hearing Loss: A hearing loss present at birth or associated with the birth process, or which develops in the first few days of life.
Decibels (dB): Intensity (loudness) of sound is measured in decibels. For instance, 100 dB is a very loud sound, and 10 dB is a very quiet sound.
Dynamic Range: A hearing loss present at birth or associated with the birth process, or which develops in the first few days of life.
Electrode Array: The internally worn part of the cochlear implant device. The array is inserted surgically into the cochlea. Electrodes along the array are activated to transmit high-pitch and low-pitch information to the auditory nerve.
Eardrum: The eardrum is situated between the outer ear and the inner ear. It is a membrane, or piece of skin, that covers a small opening in the ear. If your child has “tubes,” these were inserted in the eardrum.
ENT: A doctor who is an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist.
Frequency/Pitch of Sound: Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz). For instance, 250 Hz is a low frequency (or pitch) sound, and 4,000 Hz is a high frequency sound.
