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Published on: January 9, 2019
Language development in profoundly deaf children with cochlear implants
M A Svirsky1, A M Robbins, K I Kirk
1Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 702 Barnhill Dr., RR-044, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5200, USA. msvirsky@iupui.edu
Psychological Science
|March 29, 2001
Summary
Cochlear implants significantly enhance English language development in prelingually deaf children, with some achieving skills comparable to hearing peers. This study demonstrates implants facilitate linguistic system development based on auditory input.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Developmental linguistics
- Neuroscience of hearing
Background:
- Profoundly deaf children face challenges in speech perception and language acquisition.
- Cochlear implants (CIs) are a key intervention, but their impact on developing linguistic systems is debated.
- Critics question whether CIs enable language development comparable to hearing children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of cochlear implantation on the development of English language skills in prelingually deaf children.
- To determine if cochlear implants facilitate the establishment of an oral linguistic system.
- To compare language development rates in implanted children to unimplanted deaf children and normally hearing children.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal assessment of English language skills in prelingually deaf children before and after cochlear implantation.
- Statistical comparison of language development rates between implanted children, unimplanted deaf children, and normally hearing children.
- Analysis of individual variability in language outcomes within the implanted group.
Main Results:
- Children with cochlear implants showed a significantly higher rate of language development post-implantation compared to unimplanted deaf children (p < .001).
- The language development trajectory for implanted children was found to be similar to that of normally hearing children.
- While individual results varied, top-performing implanted children demonstrated development of an oral linguistic system primarily driven by cochlear implant auditory input.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation is effective in promoting English language development in prelingually deaf children.
- The findings support the hypothesis that cochlear implants can facilitate the development of a functional oral linguistic system.
- Further research into factors influencing individual variability in outcomes is warranted.
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