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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Pediatric cochlear implant patient performance as a function of age at implantation
T A Zwolan1, C M Ashbaugh, A Alarfaj
1University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, USA. zwolan@umich.edu
Insights
Early cochlear implantation in children significantly improves speech perception skills. Younger children implanted with multichannel cochlear implants showed greater long-term gains compared to older children.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Profoundly deaf children benefit from cochlear implants.
- The optimal age for cochlear implantation is a critical factor in speech perception development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of age at implantation on speech perception outcomes in children with multichannel cochlear implants.
- To compare speech perception performance across different age groups at implantation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 295 children implanted with multichannel cochlear implants.
- Children categorized into 5 age groups (1-3, 3-5, 5-7, 7-9, 9-11 years) at implantation.
- Speech perception tests administered at 12, 24, and 36 months postactivation; analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA.
Main Results:
- All implanted children showed improved speech perception compared to preoperative hearing aid use.
- Significant group-by-time interactions observed for 3 of 5 speech measures.
- Children implanted at younger ages demonstrated superior speech perception gains over time.
Conclusions:
- Early cochlear implantation is crucial for optimal speech perception development in profoundly deaf children.
- Results support previous findings linking earlier implantation to better auditory skill acquisition.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to examine the effect that age at implantation has on performance of children who received multichannel cochlear implants.
Study Design:
This is a retrospective study of 295 children who were broken down into 5 age groups based on age at implantation: 1-3 years, 3-5 years, 5-7 years, 7-9 years, and 9-11 years. Speech perception test scores obtained 12, 24, and 36 months postactivation were compared for the 5 groups using repeated-measures analysis of variance.
Setting:
This study was carried out at a tertiary academic medical center.
Patients:
Subjects consisted of 295 children who ranged in age from 12 months to 10 years 11 months at the time they obtained their cochlear implant.
Intervention:
All patients received their cochlear implant at a single implant facility.
Main Outcome Measures:
Performance on several speech perception tests was compared 12, 24, and 36 months postactivation. Performance was evaluated as a function of age at implantation.
Results:
Patients in all 5 groups demonstrated improved scores when compared with scores obtained preoperatively with hearing aids. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant group by time interaction for 3 of the 5 measures. For all three of these measures, children implanted at younger ages demonstrated greater gains in speech perception over time than children implanted at older ages.
Conclusions:
These results are in agreement with those of previous studies indicating that early implantation facilitates improved development of speech perception skills in profoundly deaf children.
