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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
[Paediatric cochlear implantation in the first year of life: preliminary results]
A Lesinski-Schiedat1, A Illg, A Warnecke
1Klinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover. les@hoerzentrum-hannover.de
Insights
Cochlear implantation before age 1 in children is safe and effective, showing better speech understanding development compared to implantation between 1-2 years. Early implantation optimizes speech outcomes for profound hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Audiology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Context:
- Cochlear implantation success in children has led to earlier surgeries.
- Newborn hearing screening (NHS) enables early identification of hearing loss.
- The safety and efficacy of implantation before age 1 require investigation.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of cochlear implantation in children under 1 year compared to those implanted between 1 and 2 years.
- To analyze surgical, rehabilitation, and speech understanding outcomes based on implantation age.
Summary:
- A retrospective study compared 27 children implanted before age 1 (Gr. 1) with 89 children implanted between 1-2 years (Gr. 2).
- No increased complications were observed in Gr. 1. Speech processor fitting was successful in all cases.
- Children in Gr. 1 demonstrated superior hearing and speech understanding development after 2 years, linked to absolute age rather than rehabilitation duration.
Impact:
- Cochlear implantation before age 2 is recommended for optimal speech development in children.
- Early implantation (before age 1) shows no additional risks and enhances speech understanding outcomes.
- Cochlear implantation should be strongly considered for very young children with bilateral profound hearing loss.
Background:
The success of cochlear implants in children was followed by a stepwise reduction in age at time of surgery. As a result of newborn hearing-screening (NHS) and the reliable audiologic diagnostic procedure, the question is raised as to whether an implantation before the age of 1 year is effective and safe in terms of surgery and rehabilitation.
Method And Patients:
This retrospective study included 27 children implanted before the age of 1 year (Gr. 1) and 89 children implanted between the age of 1 and 2 years (Gr. 2). Patient related data were analysed for individual history, surgery, rehabilitation and speech understanding.
Results:
The incidence of complications was not increased in Gr. 1. The fitting of a speech processor was effective and uneventful in all children. The development of hearing and speech understanding showed better results after 2 years in Gr. 1. This development is more obvious for absolute age and not to rehabilitation time.
Conclusion:
In order to achieve an optimal timing for the development of speech understanding, cochlear implantation should be performed before the age of 2 years. This study revealed no additional risks for children in Gr. 1, but the development of speech understanding was better. As a consequence, cochlear implantation should be considered for very young children with an identified bilateral profound hearing loss.