Individual differences in language performance after cochlear implantation at one to three years of age: child, family, and linguistic factors.
Language skills were investigated in a multicultural sample of 13 prelingually deaf children (11 profoundly deaf from birth) who received cochlear implants between 14 and 38 months of age; average duration of implant use was 49 months. Individual postimplant language skills ranged from extremely delayed to age appropriate. On average, skills varied across domains: on vocabulary, several children functioned in the average range compared with hearing peers, but all were below that range on a test emphasizing syntax (CELF-P). Children with preimplant hearing experience had the highest scores on all language measures. Excluding these children, age of implantation (range 14 to 27 months) associated inversely and significantly with CELF-P scores, even when nonverbal IQ was controlled. Qualitative analyses indicated higher child language achievement associated with parents' reports of lengthy, in-depth processes to decide about cochlear implantation. Such reports may indicate high levels of ongoing parent involvement with child and programming.
Gallaudet University, USA. patspencer3@juno.com
Patricia E
PE
Spencer
D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003071:Cognition; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000379:methods*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007223:Infant; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008037:Linguistics; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D016896:Treatment Outcome