Pediatric Auditory Brainstem Implantation: Impact on Audiological Rehabilitation and Tonal Language Development

Audiology & Neuro-Otology
|September 19, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Auditory Brainstem Implants (ABI) show promising results for pediatric hearing rehabilitation in Hong Kong. Continued ABI use improves speech development in children with profound prelingual deafness.

Area of Science:

  • Otolaryngology
  • Pediatric Audiology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Profound prelingual deafness presents significant challenges for pediatric audiological rehabilitation and language development.
  • Auditory Brainstem Implants (ABI) offer an alternative for patients with cochlear nerve deficiency or malformations unsuitable for cochlear implants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of Auditory Brainstem Implants (ABI) on audiological rehabilitation and tonal language development.
  • To assess speech development outcomes in pediatric patients with profound prelingual deafness rehabilitated with ABI in Hong Kong.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 11 pediatric patients (age 1.67-3.75 years) who received ABI between 2009 and 2015.
  • Utilized standard pediatric cochlear implant outcome measurements, including sound detection, syllable/vowel/consonant identification, and tone production/imitation.
  • Compared outcomes with age-matched pediatric cochlear implant users, focusing on Cantonese language rehabilitation.

Main Results:

  • Encouraging speech development outcomes were observed, particularly with sustained ABI use.
  • Significant variability in outcomes was noted, with poorer performance in children with coexisting cognitive disabilities.
  • Audiological rehabilitation and speech perception showed improvement over time.

Conclusions:

  • Auditory Brainstem Implantation (ABI) is a safe and effective treatment option for pediatric profound prelingual deafness.
  • ABI facilitates audiological rehabilitation and speech development in Cantonese-speaking children.
  • Individual patient factors, including cognitive abilities, influence ABI outcomes.
Abstract

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