Issues in the use of cochlear implants with prelingually deaf children

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Pediatric Medicine
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Cochlear implants are FDA-approved for deaf adults and children over two.
• Independent evaluative documentation supporting cochlear implant success is lacking.
• Previous studies show improved hearing thresholds but not necessarily speech processing capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of cochlear implants in profoundly deaf children.
• To compare hearing thresholds in children with and without cochlear implants.
• To examine the theoretical rationale and potential limitations of early cochlear implantation in prelingually deaf children.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of unaided and aided hearing thresholds in profoundly deaf children.
• Analysis of hearing thresholds with cochlear implants versus conventional hearing aids.
• Review of Lennenberg's critical stage theory in the context of prelingual deafness and cochlear implantation.

Main Results:

• Children with cochlear implants showed an improvement in unaided hearing thresholds from 109.8 dB to 56.0 dB.
• Children with conventional aids showed an improvement from 105.1 dB to 61.8 dB.
• Achieved pure tone thresholds do not guarantee speech processing ability at that level.

Conclusions:

• The success of cochlear implants requires more independent validation.
• The critical stage theory's application to prelingually deaf children receiving implants may be flawed regarding second language acquisition.
• Parents should consider both benefits and potential concerns regarding experimental cochlear implantation in prelingually deaf children.