The effects of age of cochlear implantation on speech perception outcomes in prelingually deaf children.

We have made a retrospective analysis on 70 prelingually deaf children (78% congenital; age range 2-15 years) followed for up to 5 years post-implant during which both closed set speech perception tests (TAC, WIPI) and open set tasks (PBK, GASP) were administered. We used a binary partitioning algorithm to optimally divide our dataset on the basis of age at implantation This technique achieves an optimal split when the heterogeneity of the data is most reduced (maximal drop in deviance). For the closed set speech perception tests (TAC and WIPI) partitioning best divided-out data at age 4.4 years. For the open set tests optimal division was at a higher age of implantation (GASP word, 5.6 years; PBK word, 8.4 years). Using these partitioning values, we have found statistically significant differences between rate of improvement of scores in the younger implanted children compared with those implanted later.