Does the duration matter? Effect of cochlear implantation on language development in Mandarin-speaking children with...

Several studies have shown that cochlear implantation (CI) can influence language development in children with severe-to-profound hearing loss. However, whether the age of implantation and duration of CI use influence language development remains unclear, particularly in Mandarin-speaking children with hearing loss. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of CI-related variables on language development in these children.

The present study recruited 133 Mandarin-speaking children with hearing loss, aged between 36 and 71 months chronologically, from a nonprofit organisation in Taiwan. The Revised Preschool Language Assessment (RPLA) was used to evaluate the children's language performance.

Children with hearing loss demonstrated delayed language comprehension and oral expression. Among them, 34% achieved age-appropriate language development. The duration of CI use had a significant direct effect on language-related abilities. Conversely, the age of implantation did not have a significant direct effect. Furthermore, the age of initial interventions (auditory-oral) had a significant direct effect only on language comprehension. Compared with the age of implantation, the duration of CI use was a significant mediator of language-related abilities.

In Mandarin-speaking children with late CIs, the duration of CI use is a more effective mediator of language development than the age of implantation.