Cochlear implant in a child diagnosed with Dandy-Walker Syndrome Variant: a study case

Abstract

Dandy-Walker Syndrome Variant presents itself as a milder form of Dandy-Walker Syndrome, with less pronounced vermis hypoplasia, and hearing impairment is among its characteristics. This study aimed to report the case of a male patient aged 4.5 clinically diagnosed with Dandy-Walker Syndrome variant, a cochlear implant user, who was referred to rehabilitation services and followed up by a multidisciplinary team. The patient underwent therapy assisted by an audiologist/speech therapist and a physiotherapist between June 2016 and December 2016, totaling 20 sessions, with emphasis on the Aurioral approach. His evolution regarding hearing and motor abilities was evaluated through standardized instruments that helped to catalogue the patient’s evolution and responses in an empirical way. The development of his auditory and motor skills, evaluated through standardized tests used as parameters of therapeutic evolution, demonstrated that rehabilitation, performed by a multi-professional team, can be satisfactorily applied in the management of cases where deafness does not appear as the only associated factor. It is suggested that a cochlear implant, despite the difficulties peculiar to the syndrome in question, can be an effective resource to acquire oral language and reach more complex stages related to hearing and language skills.