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Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Evaluating phonological processing skills in children with prelingual deafness who use cochlear implants
Linda J Spencer1, J Bruce Tomblin
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. linda-spencer@uiowa.edu
Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education
|April 22, 2008
Summary
Children with cochlear implants (CIs) can be assessed for phonological processing (PP) skills. While CI users showed differences in learning phonological awareness (PA), phonological memory and rapid naming were comparable to hearing peers.
Area of Science:
- Speech and Language Pathology
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Assessing phonological processing (PP) skills in children with prelingual, profound hearing loss using cochlear implants (CIs) presents unique challenges.
- Understanding the developmental trajectory of PP skills in this population is crucial for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phonological processing skills of children with prelingual hearing loss and extensive cochlear implant experience.
- To determine if valid measures of PP skills can be obtained in this group.
- To compare the performance of children with CIs to their hearing peers on various PP tasks.
Main Methods:
- Study included 29 children with prelingual, profound hearing loss and 4 years of CI experience, matched with 29 hearing children on word-reading ability and maternal education.
- Phonological processing skills were assessed using rhyming tasks, sound-based tasks, phonological memory tests, and rapid naming tasks.
- Tasks were controlled for presentation method and response modality where applicable.
Main Results:
- Valid measures of phonological processing skills were obtainable in children with CIs.
- Children with CIs demonstrated performance differences compared to hearing children, particularly in the learning phase of phonological awareness, which was longer and more protracted.
- No significant differences were found between children with CIs and hearing children in phonological memory, rapid letter naming, or rapid number naming when tasks were controlled for presentation and response modality.
Conclusions:
- Phonological processing skills can be validly assessed in children with cochlear implant experience.
- While phonological awareness acquisition may be prolonged, core phonological processing abilities like memory and rapid naming appear comparable to hearing peers under controlled conditions.
- A potential test battery for assessing phonological processing in children with CIs was identified.
