Yawen Zhao1,2, Ying Li2, Yue Long2, Xin Jin2, Zhipeng Zheng2, Yidi Liu2, Ying Wang3, Jun Zheng4, Jie Zhang2, Min Chen2, Jinsheng Hao2, Yang Yang2, Wei Liu2, Haihong Liu1,2, Xin Ni1,2. 1. Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China. 2. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China. 3. Department of Epidemiology, Shanxi Medical University School of Public Health, Taiyuan, China. 4. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Abstract
Background: Few studies had assessed the auditory and preverbal skills of very young cochlear implant (CI) children with additional disabilities (AD) over a long period, especially in China.Aims/ Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the early auditory and preverbal developmental trajectories in CI children with and without AD.Material and Methods: The LittlEARS® Auditory Questionnaire (LEAQ) was employed. 29 typically developing (TD) children and 17 with AD were involved (age at implantation less than 2 years). Results: All children showed significant improvement in total LEAQ scores with CI use. Children with cerebral palsy (CP), developmental delay (DD) and white matter lesions (WML) scored lower than TD children since 3 months of CI use; a decreasing trend was observed from 24, 18 and 18 months of CI use, respectively. Children with higher nonverbal developmental quotients exhibited superior early auditory and preverbal skills.Conclusions and significance: The development of early auditory and preverbal skills among CI-using children progressed more slowly in those with AD (CP, DD or WML) than in TD children, but the differences between the two groups gradually diminished over time. Nonverbal cognitive status has a positive effect on early auditory and preverbal abilities.
Background: Few studies had assessed the auditory and preverbal skills of very young cochlear implant (CI) children with additional disabilities (AD) over a long period, especially in China.Aims/ Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the early auditory and preverbal developmental trajectories in CI children with and without AD.Material and Methods: The LittlEARS® Auditory Questionnaire (LEAQ) was employed. 29 typically developing (TD) children and 17 with AD were involved (age at implantation less than 2 years). Results: All children showed significant improvement in total LEAQ scores with CI use. Children with cerebral palsy (CP), developmental delay (DD) and white matter lesions (WML) scored lower than TD children since 3 months of CI use; a decreasing trend was observed from 24, 18 and 18 months of CI use, respectively. Children with higher nonverbal developmental quotients exhibited superior early auditory and preverbal skills.Conclusions and significance: The development of early auditory and preverbal skills among CI-using children progressed more slowly in those with AD (CP, DD or WML) than in TD children, but the differences between the two groups gradually diminished over time. Nonverbal cognitive status has a positive effect on early auditory and preverbal abilities.