title: Paediatric cochlear implantation--the balance between professional caution and urgency of treatment.
abstract: There is a constant pressure to reduce the age of cochlear implantation in profoundly deaf children and thereby improve the auditory verbal language development in implantees. We effected a change in the regimen for the assessment of new referrals, and show how this has shortened the time taken in Cambridge to complete assessment and offer implantation in appropriate cases. We achieved a reduction in the duration of assessment of 2.8 months (which was not, however, statistically significant) by simple reorganization, while, we believe, maintaining the standards of assessment.
authors.affiliation: The East of England Cochlear Implant Programme, The Emmeline Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: S E M
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shipgood
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Court