HARMONY Narrowing the Language Gap

Emilys above grade level for all of her

subjects, including her reading and
comprehension. Her teachers dont have
to mess with switching out programs,
which we like, because we dont want the
teachers messing with her processor
Emily knows how to do everything with
it: she changes her batteries, she takes
care of all of it herself, so her teachers
dont do anything with it, and we dont
really do anything with it either. Its an
easy system to use, so kids can start early,
taking care of it themselves, which Im a
big proponent of.
Helen Cartwright, mother of Emily.
Emily was implanted at age 13 months;
bilaterally implanted at age 6

HARMONY Intelligent, Effortless, Clear HEAR MORE!

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BIONIC EARS for Kids

Teaching children a second language is generally

easier before the age of three. Toddlers naturally pick
up languages quickly, whereas adults often struggle
to learn more than a few useful phrases in a foreign
language. This is because a childs developing brain
and always-listening ears are particularly receptive to
language comprehension.
Children who are born deaf or lose their hearing before
the age of three can experience a significant delay in
language development. Without a cochlear implant,
the language gap between them and their normalhearing peers can continue to widen as they mature.
This gap may be significantly narrowed or even closed
by choosing one or two bionic ears for your young child.
With a cochlear implant, a child who once required
special education may transition to mainstream classes
and, depending on their abilities, perform at or even
above grade level. Only Harmonys sophisticated
technology gives children the opportunity to hear their
best and benefit from learning alongside their peers
with normal hearing.

BIONIC EARS for Kids

HARMONY Designed with Music in Mind

Greater Music Appreciation
Helps Kids Succeed
According to former President Bill Clinton, Music is about
communication, creativity and cooperation, and, by
studying music in school, students have the opportunity
to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience
the world from a new perspective. Harmony is designed
to capture and deliver the full musical experience
harmonies, melodies and all the details, layers and
complexities that make music so textured and rich. So
your child hears music the way its performed or recorded,
just like everyone else.

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BIONIC EARS for Kids

Why is Music So Important for My Childs Development?

The National Association for Music Education states that music
education benefits children in four key areas.3

Success in Developing Intelligence

Studies show that young children who take music lessons or master a musical instrument
have better memory, increased IQ, and an improved ability with spoken language.

Success in School and Learning

Students involved in music education are more likely to experience higher graduation
rates and score higher on standardized tests.

Success in Society
Children who have music as a part of their lives are more likely to develop a greater sense
of culture, and a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

Success in Life
Studies suggest that music education helps children develop much-needed creative
thinking, problem solving and communications skills, have increased self-esteem, and
have a higher earning potential as adults.
3. MENCThe National Association for Music Education, Why Music Education? 2007

Brandyns so good at the piano that after a short time of practice, he can play a song entirely from memory. I wont be surprised if he
grows up to be a professional musician.
Melissa Li, mother of Brandyn, implanted at 16 months
BIONIC EARS for Kids

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KID-FRIENDLY DESIGN Light and Easy on Little Ears

A good cochlear implant is like a referee at a sporting event: when its doing its job right, you shouldnt even notice its there. AB has
designed Harmony to be as intuitive and kid-friendly as possible. So your child can focus on listening instead of preparing to listen.

Flexible wearing options are designed to grow with your child

from infancy to adulthood.
Fully programmable childproof controls are easy to see
and use.
Environmentally friendly, green power options are easy
to change, rechargeable, cost effective, and available in
two sizes.
Built-in diagnostic light provides important information at
a glance to you, your child, or your childs teacher, including
battery and communication status.

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BIONIC EARS for Kids

ABs proprietary Intellilink safety feature protects and

provides peace of mind by:

Ensuring that the Harmony Processor sends
information only to your childs implant

Preventing stimulation if processors are accidentally
swapped between users

Preventing processor ear mismatches in bilateral
Harmony users

HEAR WHAT PARENTS Are Saying

When I was researching implants, I found a study that
explained that kids with Advanced Bionics implants can
progress much more quickly than kids with other types
of implants.
Derrick Beasley, father of Lola, implanted at 19 months
When Brooke got her first implant, I felt like new doors had
been opened for her and that her life was going to be more
normal.
Pam Garnett, mother of Brooke, implanted at age 4;
bilaterally implanted at age 7
Because of our sons implant, he went from not being able
to hear a jet plane power up, to being able to hear a cat
purr. When parents of deaf children ask us what we think
of the implant, we tell them, Just get one!
Margene Bolingbroke, mother of Nathan,
implanted at age 4

Jamal Spencer, implanted at age three, shooting hoops with his dad
BIONIC EARS for Kids

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Your Childs Life in SURROUND

SOUND

While a single cochlear implant will help your child enormously, two cochlear
implants provide very important and measurable advantages. Bilateral cochlear
implants allow your child to:
Hear better in noisy environments like the classroom or on the playground.
Bilateral hearing allows them to focus on the important things like school
and play!
Develop more natural speech. Early childhood is the most critical period for
speech and language development. Bilateral cochlear implants deliver more
audio stimulation to your childs brain during this critical time for optimal
speech development.
Localize sound more easily. Your child will be better able to determine the
location of a sound and turn to it more quickly and accurately, giving you
greater peace of mind.
Listen with less effort.
Not have to worry about where to sit in a classroom to hear well. With two cochlear
implants, your child will always be optimally positioned to capture sound.

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BIONIC EARS for Kids

RESEARCH REVELATION
Two Ears Hear Better than One
Better Sound Localization

We knew from the very beginning that

we were going to go with two implants.
Common sense tells us that two ears are
better than one! But more than this, we
did our own research, reading medical
journals and attending symposiums held
by leaders in cochlear-implant research.
All the experts seem to agree that
bilateral implantation at an early age
allows hearing-impaired children to
catch up to hearing children. The main
message we want to convey to families
is that hearing loss is not the end of the
worldand with AB, there is hope.
Sandra Marcovic, mother of Andrej,
implanted bilaterally as an infant

4.Koch DB, Soli SD, Downing M, Osberger MJ. Simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation:
prospective study in adults. Presentation at the American Neurotology Society, San Diego,
California, 24 April 2007.

Percent correct ability to determine sounds coming from left

vs. sounds coming from right for 15 adults implanted with two
Harmony implants at the same time. All subjects heard at
chance levels when using only one implant, but were able to
localize sounds when listening with both implants.4

Better Word Recognition

Mean word recognition scores for 15 adults implanted with

two Harmony implants at the same time. Recipients were
tested with each ear alone and with both ears together 3, 6,
and 8 months after implantation. All subjects heard better with
both implants together than with either implant aloneeven
in quiet. Normal listener results are shown for comparison.

BIONIC EARS for Kids

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RELIABLE Built Kid Tough!

As a parent, you want to choose not only the best-performing cochlear implant system for your
child, but you also want to ensure it meets the highest quality standards possible. Rest assured
that AB has built Harmony to be Kid Tough so it can survive real-world conditions. AB cochlear
implant systems feature:
Reliability You Can Count On. The AB cochlear implants being implanted today demonstrate
a very high level of reliability with a 99.6%4 two-year Cumulative Survival Rate (CSR), an
international standard that conveys the likelihood of a device continuing to function over time.
Advanced Water Protection Thats Guaranteed. All of Harmony BTEs internal electronics
feature two-fold advanced water protection: (1) a Xylex case that resists water penetration and
(2) a special coating that provides a waterproof barrier. AB is so confident that this protection will
keep these delicate electronics safe that AB backs it with a three-year warranty.
The Lowest Industry External Processor Failure Rate. The Harmony BTE has a low external
processor failure of 0.95%5, the lowest of all cochlear implant manufacturers. You can count on
Harmony to keep your child hearing at his or her best, day in and day out.
5. Spring 2009 Professional Reliability Report
Xylex is a trademark of The General Electric Company.

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BIONIC EARS for Kids

HARMONY Made for the Real World, Made to Last

BIONIC EARS for Kids

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