Speech intelligibility of Mandarin-speaking deaf children with cochlear implants.
OBJECTIVE
Speech intelligibility, the extent to which the speakers can be understood verbally by their listeners, is an evaluator for the effectiveness of cochlear implantation. Thus, our goals were to evaluate the result of a tonal language through comparing the speech intelligibility between normal-hearing and implanted children who speak Mandarin, and to evaluate the relationship between speech intelligibility and duration of implants use. The effects of the age at implantation were also evaluated.


METHODS
Twenty-six children (mean age of 5.9 years), who were congenitally deaf and implanted age at 3.5 years, were compared with 26 normal-hearing children (mean age of 5.84 years). The average post-implanted time was more than 6 months. Speech intelligibility was represented with the speech intelligibility ratings (SIR) and the correct percentage of dictation. The relationships between speech intelligibility, age at implantation and duration of implant were evaluated by linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
Speech intelligibility of most subjects ranked from SIR category 3-5. The average correct perception rate (CI group/normal group) of words, consonants, vowels, and tones were 42.5%, 64.9%, 73.5%, and 72.3%, respectively. These differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). Speech intelligibility was positively correlated with age only in the normal-hearing group. Speech intelligibility in the implanted group was negatively correlated with age at implantation but positively correlated with the duration of implant.


CONCLUSIONS
Speech intelligibility of tonal language was poorer in implanted children than normal-hearing children, but their communication outcomes were satisfactory when measured with SIR. Speech intelligibility is better if the age at implantation is younger or duration of implants use is longer.
Huang
Chii-Yuan
CY
Department of Otolaryngology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No. 138, Sheng-Li Rd., Tainan 704, Taiwan.
Yang
Hui-Mei
HM
Sher
Yung-Ji
YJ
Lin
Yi-Hui
YH
Wu
Jiunn-Liang
JL
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013065:Speech Intelligibility / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors