Author:

Abstract

Objective: To determine the importance of early identification and intervention for hearing impairment towards the efficacy of a cochlear implant (CI) regarding language development

Method: A qualitative, observational study was carried out in Sri Lanka with regard to the hearing impaired (HI) children who underwent cochlear implants. They were recruited with the permission of their parents. The sample of HI children was obtained from places where hearing aids and cochlear implants were being sold in Sri Lanka and from the hospitals where they underwent cochlear implant surgery. Data were collected through direct observation as and when these HI cochlear implanted children showed changes in the process of language acquisition. Focus group discussions with ENT surgeons, audiologists, speech therapists and parents of these HI children were helpful in collecting data.

Results: Twelve HI children were recruited into this study 6 of them being prelingual HI and the others postlingual HI. Irrespective of being prelingual HI or postlingual HI, the 8 who received the implant early in their life showed better language proficiency.

Conclusion: Early identification of hearing impairments in children and early intervention with cochlear implant lead to better language proficiency.

(Key words: Cochlear implant; hearing impairment; children)

http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v42i2.5629

Keywords: Cochlear implant, hearing impairment, children