Language, cognitive, and speech in noise perception abilities of children with cochlear mplants: a comparative analysis by implantation period and bilateral versus unilateral cochlear implants

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to compare the language, cognitive, and speech in noise (SiN) perception abilities of children with cochlear implants (CIs) to those of their peers with NH by grouping them according to their implantation period (12-18 months/19-24 months) and unilateral/bilateral CI use.MethodsThe sample comprised 50 children with cochlear implants (CIs) and 20 children with normal hearing (NH), ages 6-9 years. Children's language, cognitive, and speech in noise (SiN) perception skills were assessed.ResultsChildren with CIs between 12 and 18 months and 19 and 24 months performed more poorly than children with NH on language, verbal memory (VM), verbal-short-term memory (V-STM), verbal working memory (V-WM), rapid naming, and speech in noise (SiN) perception abilities measures (p<0.001). In addition, children with CIs between 19 and 24 months performed worse on rapid naming and V-WM tasks than children with CIs between 12 and 18 months (p<0.017). Children with unilateral and bilateral CI performed more poorly than children with NH on language, VM, V-STM, V-WM, rapid naming, and SiN perception abilities assessments (p<0.001). Additionally children with unilateral CI users performed poorly than children with bilateral CI users on SiN perception (p<0.017).ConclusionsIn children with congenital hearing loss (CHL), cochlear implantation between 12 and 18 months or sequential bilateral implantation is not sufficient for these children to perform like their NH peers in language, cognitive, and SiN perception abilities. In addition, intervention approaches should focus not only on increasing language skills, but also on cognitive abilities.