#3: Cochlear implants are pretty much glorified hearing aids.

This is spouted by those who  1) don't know the science behind CIs and/or 2) are often against CIs for their own personal reasons.  It couldn't be further from the truth.

Cochlear implants are very different from aids, though both have a goal of bringing more sound.  Hearing aids work best for those with mild to moderate hearing loss; cochlear implants shine best when implanted in those with profound hearing loss, though they also do great things for even those with severe hearing loss, today, and borderline candidates often find that the CI is easier than their old aids.

Hearing aids amplify sound. The remaining hair cells, in a DAMAGED COCHLEA, receive that sound.  Cochlear implants REPLACE the missing or damaged hair cells and create normal levels of sound along the entire length of the cochlea.  Sure, it's not exactly the same as having thousands of hair cells; someday we will probably be able to fix those cells.  In the meantime, here's the difference:  when a person with severe to profound hearing loss wears even the best high powered hearing aids, they often cannot hear much... or, they may not hear anything, as was the case with my boys.  My father's hearing aids can no longer bring in some of the speech frequencies.  It is common for children with hearing aids to have grammatical problems related to what they miss (possessives and plurals, both of which require hearing the "s" sound).  Interestingly, some of the early research postulated that if we only need 6 or 7 phone channels to transmit speech, then we could do it in the ear.  Voila.  I hear pretty well on phones.  Don't most hearing people?  Today's CIs usually have about 20-24 electrodes contact points.

Cochlear implants allow severe to profoundly deaf individuals to hear a whisper.  My neighbor noted that Elliot speaks in a normal, soft-ish voice, and that he sounds just like any other kid.  I think she was just astounded that he was actually deaf, and perhaps it became more obvious to her when he had a sleepover at her house and took his CIs off for bed.  Another neighbor who has known Elliot for 3 years now was surprised this morning when I referred to his deafness.  "That's not just for a little hearing problem?"  She had no idea; her grandson plays with Elliot at her house whenever he is in town.  Clearly Elliot shows that his hearing via CIs is so good that he displays normally developed speech patterns, intonations and grammar.  My boys would be unlikely to benefit at all from hearing aids.  IF they heard anything from them (which is doubtful-- no residual hearing was detected to 120 db) they would only hear muffled environmental noise.  The purpose of the implant is to allow them to interact easily with speech and audition in our family and community.  If my sons can play with friends without any noticeable difference in  their ability to enjoy the interaction, then I feel we have succeeded.  We tried hearing aids as part of the standard CI candidacy process.  It was a bust.

Recently, I heard Marlee Matlin's comments regarding CIs... she basically said that she was not a candidate because it would destroy her residual hearing. Well, yes and no. Sometimes it is destroyed, sometimes not. But since she had VERY precious little residual hearing left, the CI would allow more hearing, like having more hair cells. Her real reason is a personal choice-- she doesn't want one. That is a whole different ball of wax. It is not medically accurate to say that she's not a candidate. Chances are, she could be if she wanted to. In no way am I saying that she should-- prelingually deaf adults don't always enjoy the benefits that kids do-- but it's just a point I wanted to make about candidacy vs. choice.

#4: It is immoral to implant a child who is young; you should wait until they can decide for themselves /are 18/ are adults.

On the contrary:  one could easily argue that it is immoral to fail to implant a child who could benefit, at an early age, IF they are a candidate.  Why?  Because now is the only time in their lives when they will really and truly be able to develop the neural pathways in the brain necessary for good hearing and speech.  Older, pre-lingually deaf individuals benefit, but never to the same degree.  Pre-lingual implantation is essential for their future!  Waiting is just crazy.  Waiting= deciding not to allow them to do well with a CI.