Children with cochlear implants: cognitive skills, adaptive behaviors, social and emotional skills.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to examine cognitive skills, adaptive behavior, social and emotional skills in deaf children with cochlear implant (CI) compared to normal hearing children.


METHODS
The study included twenty children affected by profound hearing loss implanted with a CI compared to 20 healthy children matched to chronological age and gender.


RESULTS
Results of this study indicated that 55% of children with CI showed a score in the normal range of nonverbal intelligence (IQ > 84), 40% in the borderline range (71 < IQ < 84) and 5% were in mild range(50 < IQ < 70). No significant differences were found after comparison with normal hearing children.Children with CI reported more abnormalities in emotional symptoms (p = .018) and peer problems(p = .037) than children with normal hearing. Age of CI was negatively correlated with IQ (p = .002),positively correlated with emotional symptoms (p = .04) and with peer problems (p = .02).


CONCLUSIONS
CI has a positive effect on the lives of deaf children, especially if it is implanted in much earlier ages.
Andrea
A
De Giacomo
Francesco
F
Craig
Alessandra
A
D'Elia
Francesca
F
Giagnotti
Emilia
E
Matera
Nicola
N
Quaranta
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D056831:Coordination Complexes; D003638:Deafness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors
D056831:Coordination Complexes