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Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Exploring cochlear implantation and quality of life in pediatric recipients with autism spectrum disorder
Meredith Allen1, Camille Reeves1, Sofia Torres-Small2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Insights
Cochlear implants benefit children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though evaluation may be delayed. Outcomes show challenges in social interaction but not overall communication quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents unique challenges in communication and social interaction.
- Cochlear implantation (CI) is a critical intervention for profound sensorineural hearing loss.
- Understanding CI outcomes in children with ASD is essential for optimizing care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the timing and utilization of cochlear implantation in children with ASD.
- To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) outcomes following cochlear implantation in children with ASD.
- To compare CI outcomes between children with ASD and neurotypical peers.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-control study with a cross-sectional hearing-related QoL survey (HEAR-QL).
- Compared 22 pediatric cochlear implant recipients with ASD to matched neurotypical controls.
- Analyzed patient records (2000-2022) and prospective survey data from 16 ASD patients and 16 controls.
Main Results:
- Children with ASD experienced longer evaluation times for cochlear implantation after hearing loss diagnosis.
- No significant delays were found in CI qualification or implantation timing between groups.
- Children with ASD (ages 2-6) showed poorer social interaction outcomes, but overall communication QoL was comparable.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation is beneficial for children with ASD, despite potential challenges.
- Individualized approaches are crucial to address evaluation delays and social-communication difficulties.
- Findings aid care teams, parents, and educators in managing expectations for CI recipients with ASD.
Objective:
This study aims to comprehensively assess the timing and accessibility of cochlear implantation, patterns of its utilization, and the associated outcomes related to quality of life (QoL), in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Study Design:
Retrospective case-control review, and cross-sectional hearing-related QoL survey.
Setting:
Tertiary children's hospital.
Methods:
This investigation employed a retrospective case-control design, complemented by a cross-sectional hearing-related QoL survey using the HEAR-QL questionnaires. Outcomes were compared between two populations of pediatric cochlear implant recipients: one group with a preoperative diagnosis of ASD and a control group of neurotypical peers. A review of 413 patient records from 2000 to 2022 identified 22 eligible patients with ASD and matched controls. Of these, 16 participants from the ASD group and 16 controls completed the prospective quality-of-life surveys.
Results:
The time between the definitive diagnosis of profound sensorineural hearing loss and the cochlear implantation evaluation was longer for patients with ASD. However, no other significant differences in care delays were observed between ASD children and controls, including time to CI qualification, and implantation. Nevertheless, children with ASD aged 2-6 years showed poorer outcomes in social interaction (p = 0.02) and new social situations (p = 0.02 and 0.04). Despite these behavioral differences, no significant disparity in hearing-related QoL-related communication outcomes was observed.
Conclusion:
The study shows that cochlear implant benefit children with ASD, with expected challenges not affecting overall success. It underscores the importance of individualized approaches to address delays in CI evaluation, communication, and social interaction challenges. These insights can help guide care teams, parents and educators in setting realistic expectations following cochlear implantation.
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