Perception of speech by prelingual pre-adolescent and adolescent cochlear implant users

Talma Shpak, Lena Koren, Naama Tzach, Tova Most, Michal Luntz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study was undertaken to assess the speech perception benefits, 24 months after cochlear implantation (CI), in 20 young people (age at CI, 818.5 years) with prelingual profound hearing loss, in addition to the use of a proposed CI candidacy assessment profile. Speech perception was evaluated in terms of word and sentence perception before CI, and at six-monthly intervals for two years after CI. Before undergoing CI, all participants were tested on a pre-implantation assessment profile. Compared to the pre-CI findings, group results over 24 months post-CI demonstrated improved speech perception abilities reaching, on average, 46% for word recognition, 71.3% for sentences in quiet, and 33.6% for sentences in noise. Pre-CI profile scores correlated significantly with all speech perception results obtained 24 months after CI. Thus, despite their relatively late ages at implantation, all participants showed gradually improving performance in speech perception. The results showed a high variability in the outcomes of the participants. The pre-CI profile appeared to be useful in formulating realistic expectations of CI outcome during pre-implantation consultations, suggesting that expectations can and should be managed according to each patient's pre-implantation assessment. Sumario Se llev a cabo este estudio para evaluar los beneficios en la percepcin del lenguaje, 24 meses despus de la implant-acin coclear (CI), en 20 personas jvenes (edad en la CI de 8-18.5 aos), con sordera prelingstica profunda, en quienes se us un perfil propuesto de evaluacin para la candidatura a la CI. La percepcin del lenguaje se evalu en trminos de percepcin de palabras y oraciones antes de la CI y a intervalos de seis meses, durante dos aos, despus de la CI. Antes de la CI todos los participantes fueron examinados con un perfil de evaluacin pre-implantacin. Comparados con los hallazgos pre-CI, los resultados del grupo despus de 24 meses de la CI mostraron mejora en las habilidades para la percepcin del lenguaje alcanzando, en promedio, 46% para el reconocimiento de palabras, 71.3% para oraciones sin ruido y 33.6% para oraciones con ruido. Las puntuaciones en el perfil pre-CI correlacionaron significativamente con todos los resultados de percepcin del lenguaje obtenidos 24 meses despus de la CI. As, a pesar de las edades de implantacin relativamente tardas, todos los participantes mostraron un desempeo gradual-mente mejor en la percepcin del lenguaje. Los resultados mostraron una gran variabilidad en los resultados de los participantes. El Perfil pre-CI parece ser til para formular expectativas realistas sobre los resultados de la CI durante las consultas pre-implante, sugiriendo que las expectativas pueden y deben ser manejadas de acuerdo con las evaluaciones pre-implantacin de cada paciente.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)775-783
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Audiology
Volume48
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Behavioral measures
  • Cochlear implant
  • Speech perception

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language
  • Speech and Hearing

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