Emily Camacho
Tim Gaule
The SaddleBrooke Hearing Discussion Group invites you to join us on Wednesday, April 9, in the MountainView Ballroom East at 10 a.m. to hear a presentation on hearing loss and cochlear implants. The presenter will be Emily Camacho. Emily’s presentation will provide a general overview of hearing loss and hearing technology and the steps one would take to learn more about their options. While Emily’s PowerPoint slides contain images of cochlear’s implantable hearing solutions, the primary focus is about the cochlear implant evaluation process, the technology, and how a cochlear implant works.
Emily Camacho is a bilingual engagement manager for Cochlear Americas for the Southwest territory. She graduated with her Doctorate of Audiology from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis after obtaining a B.S in Communication Sciences & Disorders and a B.A. in American Sign Language/Deaf Studies at California State University, Sacramento. Fluent in American Sign Language and a bilateral cochlear implant recipient, Emily is passionate about supporting D/deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals throughout their hearing journey, promoting advocacy and access to better communication, and raising awareness about implantable hearing solutions within the community.
Cochlear Americas is one of three companies that offer cochlear implants in the U.S. A cochlear implant is a medical device designed to provide a sense of sound to individuals with severe to profound hearing loss who do not benefit from conventional hearing aids. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound, a cochlear implant bypasses damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve. It has external and inner components. The external component is placed behind the ear. The external component picks up sound through a microphone, processes it into digital signals, and transmits these signals to the internal component (receiver). The transmitter and receiver are held together by a magnet.
The internal portion is surgically implanted behind the ear. When the receiver gets digital signals, it turns them into electrical impulses. The internal part then converts the signals into electrical impulses, which are sent to electrodes placed in the cochlea (a part of the inner ear). These electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve, allowing the brain to perceive sound. While cochlear implants do not restore normal hearing, they can significantly improve the ability to understand speech and perceive environmental sounds. Rehabilitation therapy is necessary to learn how to properly interpret these sounds.
The SaddleBrooke Hearing Discussion Group meets monthly at 10 a.m. on the second Friday of every month. Our meetings are in the Sonoran Room at MountainView. Several of our members have cochlear implants and are very willing to discuss their experiences with adjusting to cochlear implants. We also typically have one or two audiology doctoral students from the University of Arizona in attendance. Our group has recently created a website with articles and useful links. The website address is www.sbhearingdiscussiongroup.com.