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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Cochlear implantation in children with cerebral palsy. A preliminary report
Andrea Bacciu1, Enrico Pasanisi, Vincenzo Vincenti
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. andreabacciu@yahoo.it
Insights
Cochlear implantation significantly improved speech perception and intelligibility in children with cerebral palsy and profound deafness. These advancements enhanced their quality of life, boosting self-confidence and social integration.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric neurology
- Speech-language pathology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) often co-occurs with profound deafness, presenting unique challenges for communication.
- Cochlear implantation (CI) is a potential intervention for profound hearing loss, but outcomes in children with CP are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of cochlear implantation on speech perception and intelligibility in children with profound deafness and cerebral palsy.
- To assess functional communication outcomes following cochlear implantation in this specific pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A prospective data review of five children with cerebral palsy undergoing cochlear implantation.
- Assessment of functional outcomes using the Speech Perception Categories and Speech Intelligibility Rating scales.
- Follow-up duration ranged from 12 to 45 months post-implantation.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements in speech perception were observed, with children progressing to higher categories of sound recognition.
- Speech intelligibility showed marked gains, with a greater proportion of children achieving intelligible connected speech across various listener types.
- Preoperative unintelligible speech improved to varying degrees of intelligibility post-implantation.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation offers substantial benefits for speech perception and intelligibility in children with CP and profound deafness.
- The positive outcomes contribute to an improved quality of life, fostering greater self-confidence, independence, and social integration.
Objectives:
The aim of this study is to assess the post-implantation speech perception and intelligibility of speech produced by five profoundly deaf children with cerebral palsy.
Methods:
This study is derived by a review of a prospectively maintained data collection on all patients entering the cochlear implant program. Five children with cerebral palsy who underwent cochlear implantation participated in this study. Functional outcome was assessed using the Speech Perception Categories and the Speech Intelligibility Rating scale. The follow-up of the series ranged from 12 to 45 months.
Results:
At the last follow-up, two children who were placed into speech perception category 1 (detection of a speech signal) preoperatively progressed to category 6 (open-set word recognition with familiar words) postoperatively. Two children moved from preoperative category 2 (pattern perception) to postoperative category 6. One child placed into category 0 (no detection of speech) preoperatively progressed to category 4 (word identification) postoperatively. Before implantation, three children had connected speech unintelligible, and two subjects had connected speech intelligible to a listener who concentrates and lip-reads. At the last follow-up, one child had connected speech unintelligible, two children had connected speech intelligible to a listener who concentrate and lip-reads, one child had connected speech intelligible to a listener who has little experience of a deaf person's speech, and one child had connected speech intelligible to all listeners.
Conclusions:
Cochlear implantation allowed these patients to dramatically improve their quality of life, increasing their self-confidence, independence and social integration.
