title: Functional outcome of sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in young children: 36 months postoperative results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of sequential bilateral cochlear implantation (CI) on the life of young children after 36 months of bilateral implant use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five children were assessed prior to and 3 until 36 months after activation of the second CI. Main outcome measures were: the Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP), Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR), communication mode, classroom placement, parent reports and the Würzburg questionnaire. Results were analysed separately for children younger and older than 6 years at the time of the second implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the 3-year test interval, 80% of the younger children attended mainstream schools and were comprehensible for all listeners. They all used oral communication and almost 70% of them could have a conversation over the telephone. After 3 years of bilateral implant use less than 50% of the older children obtained the highest score on the SIR and CAP. Approximately 70% of them was integrated in mainstream schools and used oral communication. All parents reported a more natural communication and an improved quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sequential bilateral implantation seems to offer a wide range of participation benefits to all children and facilitates the social intercourse with their hearing environment.
authors.affiliation: University Department ORL, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp University, Edegem, Belgium. Fanny.Scherf@uza.be
authors.forename: Fanny Wilhelmina Adriana Cornelia
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Scherf
authors.forename: Lieselot
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Deun
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Wieringen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desloovere
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dhooge
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Offeciers
authors.forename: Naïma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deggouj
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Raeve
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Bodt
authors.forename: Paul Henry
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Van de Heyning
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013067:Speech Perception; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014705:Verbal Behavior