Early auditory preverbal skills development in Mandarin speaking children with cochlear implants

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Audiology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Children with severe-to-profound hearing loss often receive cochlear implants (CIs) to improve auditory perception.
• Developing auditory preverbal skills is crucial for language acquisition in infants and toddlers.
• Understanding the trajectory of these skills post-CI is vital for effective rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the development of auditory preverbal skills in Mandarin-speaking infants and toddlers using cochlear implants (CIs).
• To establish developmental trajectories for these skills within the first two years of CI use.
• To identify factors influencing skill development and confirm the effectiveness of early implantation.

Main Methods:

• 33 children with severe-to-profound hearing loss who received CIs were evaluated.
• The LittlEARS® Auditory Questionnaire (LEAQ) assessed auditory preverbal skills.
• Evaluations occurred at 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months post-CI activation.

Main Results:

• Mean LEAQ scores showed significant improvement over 24 months, aligning with and slightly exceeding published norms.
• Parental education level and age at implantation significantly impacted final LEAQ scores (p<0.0001).
• Auditory preverbal skills developed dramatically, with early-implanted children showing faster progress.

Conclusions:

• Cochlear implantation dramatically improves auditory preverbal skills in the first two years.
• Early implantation is more effective, leading to steeper and faster skill development.
• Results provide guidance for auditory/speech rehabilitation in young CI recipients.