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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
From hearing screening to cochlear implantation: cochlear implants in children under 3 years of age
Milan Profant1, Zuzana Kabátová, Ludovika Simková
1University ORL Department, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. profant@fnorl.sk
Insights
Universal hearing screening enables earlier diagnosis and intervention for deaf children, significantly improving speech and hearing development outcomes. Early identification through screening leads to better results in hearing aid fitting and cochlear implantation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Neonatal Screening
- Hearing Impairment Management
Background:
- Universal newborn hearing screening is crucial for early identification of deafness.
- This study compares cochlear implantation outcomes in screened versus non-screened deaf children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of universal newborn hearing screening on the management of deafness in children.
- To compare audiological and speech development outcomes in children who underwent cochlear implantation after being identified through screening versus traditional methods.
Main Methods:
- Two groups of deaf children were compared: 9 diagnosed via screening and 21 via traditional methods.
- Key parameters assessed included age at diagnosis, hearing aid fitting, and cochlear implantation.
- For children with cochlear implants >2 years, audiological tests, Category of Auditory Performance (CAP), and speech development were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Screening significantly reduced age at diagnosis (6.9 vs 15.4 months), hearing aid fitting (9.3 vs 17 months), and cochlear implantation (26 vs 32 months).
- Screened children showed superior results in speech audiometry (95% vs 84% discrimination), monosyllabic tests (62% vs 34%), CAP (level 6 vs 5), and speech intelligibility (level 5 vs 3.5).
Conclusions:
- Universal hearing screening facilitates earlier diagnosis and intervention for deaf children.
- Early identification through screening positively impacts hearing aid fitting, cochlear implantation timing, and speech development outcomes.
Conclusions:
Universal hearing screening gives a deaf child earlier diagnosis and intervention with a better chance for successful management of hearing and speech development.
Objectives:
Universal newborn hearing screening has a major impact on early identification of deafness in children. This study evaluated the outcome of cochlear implantation in screened and non-screened deaf children.
Subjects And Methods:
Group 1 comprised 9 deaf children diagnosed by screening; group 2 comprised 21 children diagnosed by traditional methods. The following parameters were evaluated: age at the time of diagnosis, age at the time of the first hearing aid fitting, age at the time of cochlear implantation. In children who had been using a cochlear implant for more than 2 years the results of audiological tests, category of auditory performance (CAP), and development and quality of speech were also evaluated.
Results:
Hearing screening significantly reduced the age at the time of diagnosis (6.9 months vs 15.4 months) as well as the age at the time of the first hearing aid fitting (9.3 months vs 17 months) and age at the time of cochlear implantation (26 months vs 32 months). Children from the screening program had better results in speech audiometry (95% discrimination vs 84%), monosyllabic tests (62% vs 34%), CAP (level 6 vs level 5), evaluation of spontaneous speech (level 6 vs level 5), and intelligibility of speech (level 5 vs level 3.5). According to the statistical evaluation (Fisher's test) the functional results did not show significant difference.