Spoken Language Development in Children Following Cochlear Implantation
- John K. Niparko, MD;
- Emily A. Tobey, PhD;
- Donna J. Thal, PhD;
- Laurie S. Eisenberg, PhD;
- Nae-Yuh Wang, PhD;
- Alexandra L. Quittner, PhD;
- Nancy E. Fink, MPH
- for the CDaCI Investigative Team
- Author Affiliations: Departments of Otolaryngology (Dr Niparko) and Medicine (Dr Wang), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas (Dr Tobey); School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of California, San Diego (Dr Thal); House Ear Institute, Los Angeles, California (Dr Eisenberg); Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida (Dr Quittner); and Departments of Epidemiology (Dr Niparko and Ms Fink) and Biostatistics (Dr Wang), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore.
Abstract
Context Cochlear implantation is a surgical alternative to traditional amplification (hearing aids) that can facilitate spoken language development in young children with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).
Objective To prospectively assess spoken language acquisition following cochlear implantation in young children.
Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective, longitudinal, and multidimensional assessment of spoken language development over a 3-year period in children who underwent cochlear implantation before 5 years of age (n = 188) from 6 US centers and hearing children of similar ages (n = 97) from 2 preschools recruited between November 2002 and December 2004. Follow-up completed between November 2005 and May 2008.
Main Outcome Measures Performance on measures of spoken language comprehension and expression (Reynell Developmental Language Scales).
Results Children undergoing cochlear implantation showed greater improvement in spoken language performance (10.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.6-11.2 points per year in comprehension; 8.4; 95% CI, 7.8-9.0 in expression) than would be predicted by their preimplantation baseline scores (5.4; 95% CI, 4.1-6.7, comprehension; 5.8; 95% CI, 4.6-7.0, expression), although mean scores were not restored to age-appropriate levels after 3 years. Younger age at cochlear implantation was associated with significantly steeper rate increases in comprehension (1.1; 95% CI, 0.5-1.7 points per year younger) and expression (1.0; 95% CI, 0.6-1.5 points per year younger). Similarly, each 1-year shorter history of hearing deficit was associated with steeper rate increases in comprehension (0.8; 95% CI, 0.2-1.2 points per year shorter) and expression (0.6; 95% CI, 0.2-1.0 points per year shorter). In multivariable analyses, greater residual hearing prior to cochlear implantation, higher ratings of parent-child interactions, and higher socioeconomic status were associated with greater rates of improvement in comprehension and expression.
Conclusion The use of cochlear implants in young children was associated with better spoken language learning than would be predicted from their preimplantation scores.
