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Quantitative Assessment of Cortical Auditory-tactile Processing in Children with Disabilities
09:38

Quantitative Assessment of Cortical Auditory-tactile Processing in Children with Disabilities

Published on: January 29, 2014

Otological and habilitative management of children with Down syndrome

D G Pappas1, C Flexer, L Shackelford

  • 1Pappas Ear Clinic, Birmingham, AL 35233.

The Laryngoscope
|September 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Early, aggressive intervention for hearing loss in infants with Down syndrome can lead to age-appropriate oral language development. This approach addresses common ear issues and utilizes auditory-verbal therapy for better communication skills.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric audiology
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Speech-language pathology

Background:

  • Children with Down syndrome frequently experience conductive hearing loss due to external auditory canal (EAC) stenosis, cerumen impaction, serous otitis media (SOM), and cholesteatoma.
  • Hearing loss significantly impacts spoken communication skills in children with Down syndrome, often hindering them below their cognitive potential.
  • Assertive management strategies are crucial for addressing hearing impairments in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present an aggressive, multidisciplinary treatment model for infants with Down syndrome during their first year of life.
  • To evaluate the impact of this model on oral language development.
  • To compare language outcomes between infants receiving early intervention and those who do not.

Main Methods:

  • Implementation of a multidisciplinary treatment model including EAC reconstruction, amplification technology, and speech/language intervention.
  • Emphasis on auditory-verbal (A/V) therapy as a core component of the intervention.
  • A pilot study comparing language development in two groups of infants with Down syndrome: one receiving early aggressive treatment (Group A) and a control group (Group B).

Main Results:

  • Infants in Group A, who received the aggressive early intervention, demonstrated age-appropriate oral language development.
  • This suggests a positive correlation between the early multidisciplinary approach and improved communication outcomes.
  • The findings highlight the potential of proactive management in mitigating the effects of hearing loss on language acquisition.

Conclusions:

  • An aggressive, multidisciplinary treatment model initiated in the first year of life is effective in promoting age-appropriate oral language development in infants with Down syndrome.
  • Auditory-verbal therapy, combined with audiological and surgical interventions, plays a vital role in this success.
  • Early and assertive management of hearing loss is essential for optimizing spoken communication skills in children with Down syndrome.

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