Auditory skills, language development, and adaptive behavior of children with cochlear implants and additional disabilities

Copious evidence indicates that, even in the first year of life, children’s language development is beginning and is impacted by a wide array of cognitive and social processes. The extent to which these processes are dependent on early language input is a critical concern for most deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children, who, unlike hearing children, are usually not immersed in a language-rich environment until effective interventions, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, are implemented. Importantly, some cognitive and social processes are not dependent on the early availability of language input and begin to develop before children are fitted for hearing aids or cochlear implants. Interventions involving parent training may be helpful for enhancing social underpinnings of language and for maximizing DHH children’s language learning once effective hearing devices are in place. Similarly, cognitive training for DHH children may also provide benefit to bolster language development.

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Developmental Links Between Speech Perception in Noise, Singing, and Cortical Processing of Music in Children with Cochlear Implants

Music Perception An Interdisciplinary Journal ◽

10.1525/mp.2018.36.2.156 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 156-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Ritva Torppa ◽

Andrew Faulkner ◽

Teija Kujala ◽

Minna Huotilainen ◽

Jari Lipsanen

Keyword(s):

Speech Perception ◽

Cochlear Implants ◽

Musical Instrument ◽

Noise Performance ◽

Speech Perception In Noise ◽

Speech In Noise ◽

Brain Responses ◽

Time Period ◽

Musical Sounds ◽

Auditory Skills

The perception of speech in noise is challenging for children with cochlear implants (CIs). Singing and musical instrument playing have been associated with improved auditory skills in normal-hearing (NH) children. Therefore, we assessed how children with CIs who sing informally develop in the perception of speech in noise compared to those who do not. We also sought evidence of links of speech perception in noise with MMN and P3a brain responses to musical sounds and studied effects of age and changes over a 14–17 month time period in the speech-in-noise performance of children with CIs. Compared to the NH group, the entire CI group was less tolerant of noise in speech perception, but both groups improved similarly. The CI singing group showed better speech-in-noise perception than the CI non-singing group. The perception of speech in noise in children with CIs was associated with the amplitude of MMN to a change of sound from piano to cymbal, and in the CI singing group only, with earlier P3a for changes in timbre. While our results cannot address causality, they suggest that singing and musical instrument playing may have a potential to enhance the perception of speech in noise in children with CIs.

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Language Development in Children with Cochlear Implants

Language Deprivation and Deaf Mental Health ◽

10.4324/9781315166728-10 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 235-262 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amy Szarkowski

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Cochlear Implants

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13 Language Development in Children with Cochlear Implants

Cochlear Implants ◽

10.1055/b-0034-56280 ◽

2006 ◽

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Cochlear Implants

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The Influence of Communication Mode on Language Development in Children with Cochlear Implants

Bilingualism and Bilingual Deaf Education ◽

10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199371815.003.0006 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 134-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Elizabeth A. Walker ◽

J. Bruce Tomblin

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Cochlear Implants ◽

Communication Mode

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Mismatch Negativity in Children with Cochlear Implant

International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology ◽

10.1055/s-0039-1688967 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 (03) ◽

pp. e292-e298

Author(s):

Natalia Martinez Fernandes ◽

Daniela Gil ◽

Marisa Frasson de Azevedo

Keyword(s):

Speech Perception ◽

Language Development ◽

Cochlear Implant ◽

Cochlear Implants ◽

Family Involvement ◽

Mismatch Negativity ◽

Control Group ◽

Study Group ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hearing Children

Introduction The mismatch negativity (MMN) is a negative long-latency auditory potential elicited by any discriminable change in a repetitive aspect of auditory stimulation. This evoked potential can provide cortical information about the sound processing, including in children who use cochlear implants. Objective To identify MMN characteristics regarding latency, amplitude, and wave area in cochlear implanted children and to identify associations among language development, speech perception and family involvement. Methods This is a descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study, which compared two groups: study group—children with cochlear implant, and control group—hearing children. The children were submitted to MMN evaluation with non-verbal tone burst stimulus, differing in frequency in sound field at 70 dBHL, with SmartEP equipment (Intelligent Hearing Systems, Miami, FL, USA). Speech perception and language development questionnaires were also applied, and the family participation in the rehabilitation process was classified. Results The occurrence of MMN was 73.3% for the control group and 53.3% for the study group. Values of latency, amplitude and area of MMN of children using cochlear implants were similar to those of hearing children, and did not differ between groups. The occurrence of MMN was not correlated to the variables of hearing, language and family categories. Conclusion Children with cochlear implants showed similar MMN responses to those of the children in the control group, with mean latency, amplitude and area of 208.9 ms (±12.8), -2.37 μV (±0.38) and 86.5 μVms (±23.4), respectively. There was no correlation between the presence of MMN and children's performance in the auditory and language development tests or family involvement during rehabilitation.

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