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Updated: Jan 15, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Vocabulary Development and Its Influencing Factors Among Cochlear Implanted Children With Cochlear Nerve Aplasia
Xiuhua Chao1,2,3, Jianfen Luo1,2,3, Xianqi Liu1,2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University.
Objectives:
To evaluate the expressive vocabulary ability of children with cochlear implants diagnosed with cochlear nerve aplasia (CN-A) and analyze potential factors influencing vocabulary development.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Tertiary referral center.
Participants:
Thirty-one children diagnosed with CN-A by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) who received a cochlear implantation (CI) before 3 years old.
Interventions:
Therapeutic-CI.
Main Outcome Measures:
Expressive vocabulary was quantitatively assessed using the Early Vocabulary Inventory for Mandarin Chinese (EVI) after at least 3 years of CI usage. The cochleovestibular nerve diameter to facial nerve diameter ratio (CVN/FN ratio) was evaluated using preimplantation MRI. Preimplantation-aided pure tone average (PTA) was retrospectively reviewed. The relationship between the age of implantation, duration with CI, CVN/FN ratio, preimplantation-aided PTA, prosthetic configuration, and the expressive vocabulary size was analyzed.
Results:
The mean expressive vocabulary size was 283.60 (SD: 220.12; range: 0 to 628) for children with CN-A. Expressive vocabulary size was significantly correlated with the CVN/FN ratio, preimplantation PTA, and prosthetic configuration ( P s <0.05), whereas age at implantation and duration of CI were not significantly correlated ( P s >0.05). Hierarchical regression models showed that the CVN/FN ratio, preimplantation PTA, and prosthetic configuration independently contributed to predicting expressive vocabulary size ( P s <0.05).
Conclusion:
Expressive vocabulary abilities are significantly impaired in children with CN-A. Preimplantation CVN size relative to the FN on MRI, residual hearing, and prosthetic configuration are important predictors of vocabulary development in this population.
