Rehabilitation concepts with the cochlear implant.

In some ways, it appears that rehabilitation for cochlear implant patients is following the early rehabilitation trends of this century. In the early part of the 1900's, emphasis was on lip-reading, since we did not have amplification as we now know it. With the refinements in amplification, there was less emphasis on analytic lip-reading (exact identification of sounds and words). The trend was to counsel individuals on the benefits and limitations of amplification; lip-reading was regarded as something hearing-impaired individuals would learn anyway. Aural rehabilitation now emphasizes hearing aids. Twenty-five years ago, the emphasis was on lip-reading, with or without amplification. It would appear that rehabilitation for cochlear implant patients is following the same trend. As we learn more about cochlear implants, the trends for rehabilitation will become more clear.