title: Assessment of auditory skills in 140 cochlear implant children using the EARS protocol.
abstract: Auditory performance of cochlear implant (CI) children was assessed with the Listening Progress Profile (LiP) and the Monosyllabic-Trochee-Polysyllabic-Word Test (MTP) following the EARS protocol. Additionally, the 'initial drop' phenomenon, a recently reported decrease of auditory performance occurring immediately after first fitting, was investigated. Patients were 140 prelingually deafened children from various clinics and centers worldwide implanted with a MEDEL COMBI 40/40+. Analysis of LiP data showed a significant increase after 1 month of CI use compared to preoperative scores (p < 0.01). No initial decrease was observed with this test. Analysis of MTP data revealed a significant improvement of word recognition after 6 months (p < 0.01), with a significant temporary decrease after initial fitting (p < 0.01). With both tests, children's auditory skills improved up to 2 years. Amount of improvement was negatively correlated with age at implantation.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Servicio de Otorinolaringologia, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sainz
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Skarzynski
authors.forename: John H J
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Allum
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Helms
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Patrick Georg
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Zorowka
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delauney
authors.forename: Steffi Johanna
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Brockmeyer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kompis
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Korolewa
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Albegger
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zwirner
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van De Heyning
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Haese
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001307:Auditory Perception; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D007807:Language Tests / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome