From hearing screening to cochlear implantation: cochlear implants in children under 3 years of age

Abstract

Conclusions: Universal hearing screening gives a deaf child earlier diagnosis and intervention with a better chance for successful management of hearing and speech development.

Objectives: Universal newborn hearing screening has a major impact on early identification of deafness in children. This study evaluated the outcome of cochlear implantation in screened and non-screened deaf children.

Subjects and methods: Group 1 comprised 9 deaf children diagnosed by screening; group 2 comprised 21 children diagnosed by traditional methods. The following parameters were evaluated: age at the time of diagnosis, age at the time of the first hearing aid fitting, age at the time of cochlear implantation. In children who had been using a cochlear implant for more than 2 years the results of audiological tests, category of auditory performance (CAP), and development and quality of speech were also evaluated.

Results: Hearing screening significantly reduced the age at the time of diagnosis (6.9 months vs 15.4 months) as well as the age at the time of the first hearing aid fitting (9.3 months vs 17 months) and age at the time of cochlear implantation (26 months vs 32 months). Children from the screening program had better results in speech audiometry (95% discrimination vs 84%), monosyllabic tests (62% vs 34%), CAP (level 6 vs level 5), evaluation of spontaneous speech (level 6 vs level 5), and intelligibility of speech (level 5 vs level 3.5). According to the statistical evaluation (Fisher's test) the functional results did not show significant difference.