Speech Perception and Language Outcome in Congenitally Deaf Children Receiving Cochlear Implants in the First Year of Life

Jeong, Sung Wook; Seo, Ji Won; Boo, Sung Hyun; Kim, Lee Suk

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of early cochlear implantation (CI) performed in infants less than 12 months of age.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Twenty-five children who received their first CI before 12 months of age were included in this study (infant group). The speech perception and language outcomes of these children were compared with those of 14 children who received their first CI between 13 and 24 months of age (older group). All children received sequential bilateral CI with the inter-stage interval of less than 2 years. Speech perception was measured using Categories of Auditory Performance, monosyllabic word test and sentence test, and language ability was measured using Sequenced Language Scale for Infants, Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale, or Receptive & Expressive Vocavulary Test, depending on the age at the time of testing.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in speech perception abilities between the infant group and the older group. The mean expressive language score of infant group was higher than that of the older group, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, the receptive language score of infant group was significantly higher than that of the older group.
CONCLUSION
Children who received CI before 12 months of age achieved better receptive language ability than those who received it after 12 months of age. Thus CI should be performed as early as before 12 months of age to achieve better language ability.