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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
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Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
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Voice Quality in Cochlear Implant Recipients: An Observational Cross Sectional Study
Madhukar Upadhyay1, Rakesh Datta1, Ajith Nilakantan2
11Department of ORL-HNS, Armed Forces Medical College, Wanowari, Pune 411040 India.
Summary
Children with cochlear implants show poorer voice quality compared to normal-hearing peers. Objective voice analysis reveals significant deviations in parameters even after one year of implant use.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Hearing loss in children impairs voice and speech development due to deficient auditory feedback.
- Prelingual deafness prevents self-monitoring of voice production.
- Cochlear implantation improves hearing and speech intelligibility, but voice quality changes vary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively and subjectively compare the voice quality of children with cochlear implants (CIs) to that of normal-hearing children.
- To assess the impact of continuous CI use on various voice parameters.
Main Methods:
- Voice analysis of 42 children with CIs and 42 age/sex-matched normal-hearing children.
- Utilized Dr Voice software for objective assessment.
- Measured fundamental frequency, maximum phonation time, jitter, shimmer, and harmonics-to-noise ratio.
Main Results:
- Children with CIs exhibited significant deviations in all measured voice parameters compared to controls.
- Overall voice quality in the CI group was poorer and deviant from normal.
- One year of CI use did not result in voice quality reaching normal-hearing peer levels.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation, while beneficial for hearing and speech, does not fully normalize voice quality in children.
- Further research and therapeutic interventions may be needed to address persistent voice deviations in pediatric CI users.
