The auditory and speech performance of children with intellectual disability after cochlear implantation

Conclusion: The results revealed that children with intellectual disability (ID) who underwent cochlear implantation (CI) showed gradual progress in their auditory perception and speech development. ID in children should not be considered a contraindication for CI, because they are able to obtain a chance to develop oral communication skills following CI. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the auditory and speech performance of 14 young deaf children with ID after CI. Methods: Fourteen children with ID who underwent CI between December 2002 and February 2010 were included. Improvement in auditory perception and speech production over time was evaluated longitudinally with the Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) score and Korean version of Ling's stages (K-Ling). The results were compared with those of age- and gender-matched implanted controls without additional disabilities. All tests were performed four times in each patient: before implantation and at 3, 6, and 12 months after implantation. Preoperative and postoperative communication modes were also assessed and compared between the two groups. Results: Auditory perception and speech production of deaf children with an ID improved consistently after CI. In addition, the communication mode also took a favorable turn from nonverbal to vocalizations or oral communication or from vocalizations to oral communication.