title: Communication outcomes for groups of children using cochlear implants enrolled in auditory-verbal, aural-oral, and bilingual-bicultural early intervention programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relative impact of early intervention approach on speech perception and language skills was examined in these 3 well-matched groups of children using cochlear implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight children from an auditory verbal intervention program were identified. From a pediatric database, researchers blind to the outcome data, identified 23 children from auditory oral programs and 8 children from bilingual-bicultural programs with the same inclusion criteria and equivalent demographic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  All child participants were male, had congenital profound hearing loss (pure tone average >80 dBHL), no additional disabilities, were within the normal IQ range, were monolingual English speakers, had no unusual findings on computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, and received hearing aids and cochlear implants at a similar age and before 4 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open-set speech perception (consonant-nucleus-consonant [CNC] words and Bamford-Kowal-Bench [BKB] sentences) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) were administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age at cochlear implant was 1.7 years (range, 0.8-3.9; SD, 0.7), mean test age was 5.4 years (range, 2.5-10.1; SD, 1.7), and mean device experience was 3.7 years (range, 0.7-7.9; SD, 1.8). Results indicate mean CNC scores of 60%, 43%, and 24% and BKB scores of 77%, 77%, and 56% for the auditory-verbal (AV), aural-oral (AO), and bilingual-bicultural (BB) groups, respectively. The mean PPVT delay was 13, 19, and 26 months for AV, AO, and BB groups, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite equivalent child demographic characteristics at the outset of this study, by 3 years postimplant, there were significant differences in AV, AO, and BB groups. Results support consistent emphasis on oral/aural input to achieve optimum spoken communication outcomes for children using cochlear implants.
authors: The University of Melbourne Audiology, Hearing and Speech Sciences 550 Swanston St, Parkville, 3010, Victoria, Australia. dettmans@unimelb.edu.au
authors: Shani
authors: S
authors: Dettman
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Wall
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Constantinescu
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Dowell
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003142:Communication; D016208:Databases, Factual; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome