My friend has a daughter who was born deaf and then she and her husband decided to implant her. It was a really hard decision but she was 4 and still not walking due to balance problems and because she didn't hear her surroundings. Well the decision payed off. She is 5 right now and she is walking and running and she started talking a few baby words, so the doctors are pretty sure she will be talking soon. I have been around in her life for about 4 years and I must say that since she got the implant she became a much much happier child.