Addressing Global Barriers to Paediatric Cochlear Implantation

While cochlear implantation in children is well-established and a proven hearing technology, there is limited research and analysis on access globally, or on the barriers to access. This is an important issue; such data are required to influence health care planning and funding as well as influencing family and clinical decisions. Even in high-income countries, provision varies, and in low- and middle-income countries even more so. This wide-ranging chapter explores the barriers to multi-professional, family-centred paediatric cochlear implantation. The primary barrier is the lack of understanding by society of the impact of deafness and hearing loss, combined with the lack of awareness of the potential of hearing technologies, including cochlear implants. This lack of awareness and lack of prioritisation of hearing loss gives rise to many other barriers: lack of funding, of comprehensive data, of referral pathways, of accessible information for families, of long-term family and educational services, and of technological support. The chapter considers some examples of how the current perceived barriers are being, and could be, overcome.