Hearing Impairment

Pulsifer MB, Salorio CF, Niparko JK: Developmental, audiological, and speech perception functioning in children after cochlear implant surgery. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2003; 157(6):552-558.

Severe to profound hearing impairment can be associated with early delays in language development, socialization skills, and academic achievement. Cochlear implantation has become an option for some children with bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing impairment. This prospective, longitudinal study seeks to determine the changes in audiological, speech perception, and developmental functioning at 1 year after cochlear implantation.

Forty children between the ages of 11/2 and 9 years underwent psychological, audiological and speech perception evaluations immediately before and 1 year after the implantation. The mean age for surgery was 50 months and all the children had used hearing aids for over 2 years. Significant improvements were documented in audiological status, overall developmental functioning, and speech perception skills. The earlier the implantation, the greater the developmental gains, and children with the least initial impairment showed the greatest improvement in speech perception.