[Bioethical issues in pediatric cochlear implants].

Abstract

The use of cochlear implants can modify significantly the way in which deaf children relate with the outside world through psychological, linguistic and cognitive changes. The main question about this subject is the ethical controversy with regards to who has the right to make such a decision for a young child. We present the children evaluated at our hospital in order to assess the cochlear implant option. That population was of 37 implanted children, 10 children waiting for surgery and 21 rejected children. We describe and analyze from the bioethical bases and methodology the problems found: decision of no implant in children of hearing parents, the deaf culture point of view, the mature minor doctrine, teenagers, social and cultural problems, multihandicapped children and responsibility of the implants team.