Verbal Cognition in Deaf Children Using Cochlear Implants: Effect of Unilateral and Bilateral Stimulation

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the role of bilateral/bimodal device use in auditory speech perception in complex listening situations and long-term verbal cognition in deaf children using cochlear implants (CIs). Two groups of children are compared (unilateral and bilateral device users) concerning vocabulary, speech perception at conversational level and in complex listening situations, and verbal cognition. In this retrospective study, we collected data of 37 deaf children with normal learning potential of whom 16 were unilateral CI users and 21 were bilateral device users (9 with a bimodal fitting and 12 with bilateral CIs). We came to the conclusion that deaf children who use bilateral devices have the opportunity to develop good speech perception skills in complex listening conditions. These abilities enable at least some of the children to develop age-equivalent verbal cognition skills.

Language and Literacy: Issues and Considerations

“…On average, though, these children's expressive and receptive language and speech production were below the level attained by children with normal hearing at three years old. Some studies reported vocabulary outcomes within the normal range of typically hearing children [45][46][47], while others found the opposite [48,49]. Yet other studies indicated that complicated language components, such as morphosyntax and pragmatic aspects, remained the most difficult to acquire [24,50].…”

The Effect of Learning Modality and Auditory Feedback on Word Memory: Cochlear-Implanted versus Normal-Hearing Adults

“…ochlear implants (CIs) are now standard of care for the severe-to-profound hearing-impaired individuals who do not gain enough benefit from high-power digital hearing aids (Wilson, 2015). The great bulk of outcome studies have documented the success of CIs in both children and adults (De Raeve et al, 2015;Moberly et al, 2016). Yet, the perceptual learning abilities of people with CIs are not fully understood.…”

Benefits of using a contralateral hearing aid in cochlear implanted children with bilateral pre-lingual profound sensorineural hearing loss on language development and auditory perception performance

“…[27] There is evidence suggesting that bimodal stimulation augments the performance of auditory perception by the use of a cochlear implant alone. [28,29] Similarly, in all the three test batteries we used (LittlEars®, MAIS and MUSS), we found that auditory perceptual performance was significantly higher in the CI+HA group than in the CI group.…”