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Updated: May 11, 2026
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Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
The development of lateralization abilities in children with bilateral cochlear implants
Heike Kühn1, Franz Schön, Karola Edelmann
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. kuehn_h@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
Summary
Bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) significantly improve children's sound localization skills within two years. Children with bilateral CIs develop binaural hearing abilities relatively quickly after receiving their second implant.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Bilateral cochlear implantation (CI) is increasingly common in children.
- Understanding the development of auditory skills, particularly sound localization, is crucial for optimizing outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the development of sound lateralization skills in children receiving sequential bilateral cochlear implants.
- To determine the timeframe for acquiring binaural hearing abilities after bilateral CI.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 9 children (mean age 4.1 years at first CI, 5.5 years at second CI) at three intervals post-second CI.
- Used multi-loudspeaker setups to evaluate sound localization accuracy at 0.9, 1.6, and 5.3 years after bilateral implantation.
Main Results:
- Significant reduction in lateralization error observed between 0.9 and 1.6 years post-second CI (45.0° to 23.3°).
- Further significant decrease in error by 5.3 years (4.7°).
- Unilateral CI performance showed no significant improvement initially but developed a directional bias by the final interval.
Conclusions:
- Children demonstrate rapid development of lateralization abilities within 1-2 years after receiving their second cochlear implant.
- Bilateral cochlear implantation facilitates the acquisition of binaural hearing skills in pediatric populations.
