How much difference is there in hearing improvement with bilateral implants compared to unilateral implants? According to a large number of existing literature on bilateral implantation, objective audiological examination results show that: 1) the hearing threshold of bilateral implantation is lower than that of unilateral implantation, and the lower means the more sensitive hearing, and the hearing threshold of bilateral implantation can generally reach the normal hearing, i.e., within 20 decibels. 2) Bilateral implanted patients can recognize 18.7% more words than unilateral implanted patients in a quiet environment, that is to say, in the same environment, bilateral implanted patients can understand 18-19 words out of 100 words more than unilateral implanted patients. 3) Sentence recognition in a noisy environment: when noise and speech came from the same ear, sentence recognition was 31.1% higher with bilateral implantation than with unilateral implantation, and 10.7% higher with bilateral implantation than with unilateral implantation when noise and speech came from different ears. This means that when in a noisy environment, bilateral implants allow for truly free communication. Does bilateral implantation mean that I will not be able to take advantage of newer technologies in the future? In the early days, it was advocated to implant one side of the body first, leaving the other side to take advantage of future technologies. This was a very reasonable approach at the time. However, the current situation seems to be that there is still a waiting list of at least 10 years for new technologies such as gene therapy, and after 10 years, the neurological function of the side without sound stimulation will deteriorate significantly. Therefore, the idea of leaving a single ear without intervention to wait for new technologies is not realistic (statistically, less than 10% of unilateral implant recipients wear a hearing aid on the opposite side for a long period of time). The latest cochlear implants are designed with soft technology of soft electrodes, ultra-soft electrodes are softer, slimmer and thinner, which are specially designed to protect the microstructure of the cochlea, and the clinical minimally invasive implantation technology is now very mature, and can be implanted using a round window approach for minimally invasive implantation, and the cochlea structure is preserved after the operation, which will not affect the application of new technology in the future (general knowledge: the electrodes of the cochlear implantation are implanted in the cochlea’s drum cavity, and the hair cells and other hearing-related structures are implanted in the drum cavity). (General knowledge: cochlear electrodes are implanted in the tympanic cavity of the cochlea, whereas hearing-related structures such as hair cells are located in the basement membrane of the cochlear cavity, so the minimally invasive surgery itself has no direct effect on the basement membrane and hearing structures such as hair cells). Moreover, it only makes sense for future applications of the technique if the activity of the auditory nerve and center can be maintained by sound stimulation now. Is bilateral simultaneous implantation very damaging and surgical risky for the child? Cochlear implantation is a small to medium invasive surgery with little tissue damage, minimal bleeding and short anesthesia. The latest cochlear implants can be implanted well with a small incision of 3-4 cm. There is no particular damage to the child, whether the implant is bilateral or unilateral. Surgical risks are also effectively controlled through delicate operations (Soft Surgical Protocols), so the surgical technique has evolved to a point where it is both controllable and safe. Is it possible to match the hearing on both sides with a long interval between bilateral implantations? Does it make sense? Bilateral implantation with longer intervals requires a process to achieve a match between the two sides compared to bilateral implantation at the same time. After all, the posterior implanted side has not heard anything for a longer period of time. How long does it take for the second implanted side to match the previously implanted side? This is related to the tuning of the second side. The tuning allows both sides to be adjusted to the maximum tolerated level of loudness, which is comparable to that of the patient, and an average of 3-6 months of adaptation time to achieve the desired level of hearing. Bilateral implantation brings more benefits to the user’s life and work, no matter it is a noisy environment, quiet environment, speech communication ability and tone recognition, music appreciation are greatly improved. Is it unsightly to wear a cochlear implant on both sides after bilateral implantation? Cochlear implants have also been designed to be smaller and more aesthetically pleasing. The newest cochlear implant processors are very small, and a variety of user-friendly wearing styles allow the processor to be worn in other positions, such as hairpins for girls and hats for boys, all of which conceal the processor. There are two directions for future development of extracorporeal machines: all-in-one machines and in-the-ear machines. It will be just in time for these technologies when the child is a little older and has a stronger need for aesthetics and image. Bilateral implantation emphasizes early implantation for the best match and best results on both sides. Besides better hearing, are there any other benefits of bilateral implantation for my child? Research has proven that children with bilateral hearing outperform children with unilateral hearing in social, psychological, emotional, and achievement patterns, in addition to hearing and speech skills. Data show that more than 35% of children with unilateral hearing (where one ear is completely normal and the other is deaf) repeat at least one year of school, and more than 60% require additional assistance in learning. In addition, the lack of sound stimulation on one side of the brain and the uneven development of the left and right brains means that the overall intelligence level of this group is poorer than that of children with binaural hearing. The resulting social-psycho-emotional disorders and differences in patterns of achievement cannot be ignored. Bilateral implantation restores the child’s hearing in both ears, and learning and working communication is still much easier than unilateral, so if parents and friends have high requirements for their children’s orientation, timely bilateral implantation will have a clear benefit for the child’s development. Are there any special precautions in daily life after bilateral implantation? In daily life, there are two precautions for children with bilateral implants: 1) The programs of the two side processors cannot be used alternately, so parents should mark the two sides of the processors so that they do not wear them incorrectly. 2) Bilateral wear as much as possible placed in the bilateral direction or bilateral ear, so that the child all-round hearing, direction recognition is more beneficial. Are there any special precautions when adjusting the machine for a child with bilateral implants? When adjusting the machine, parents should reflect to the adjuster the auditory performance of both sides, such as speech recognition and hearing acuity in one ear, as well as the child’s daily sound orientation. This will assist the tuner in adjusting the program.