[The cochlear implant in childhood. Possibilities, limits and perspectives of management]

Therapeutic experiences with cochlear implants in late adult deafness have become so large that implants now belong to the accepted methods of therapy for profoundly deaf patients. Affected patients often recognize speech through simple auditory means. In the last 5 years increased numbers of children with congenital or infantile deafness have also been successfully treated with cochlear implants. Some reports have already been published about clinical experiences and rates of success. In this paper some positive results are shown, but the limitations of treatment and the necessity for accurate preoperative diagnosis must be understood. The further development of treatment for deaf implants requires refinements in phoniatric and pedaudiological techniques.