Journal Article

Persistent Language Delay Versus Late Language Emergence in Children With Early Cochlear Implantation

Geers, Ann E., Tobey, Emily, Davidson, Lisa, Nicholas, Johanna

2016

Overview

Purpose: The purpose of the present investigation is to differentiate children using cochlear implants (CIs) who did or did not achieve age-appropriate language scores by mid-elementary grades and to identify risk factors for persistent language delay following early cochlear implantation. Materials and Method: Children receiving unilateral CIs at young ages (12-38 months) were tested longitudinally and classified with normal language emergence (n = 19), late language emergence (n = 22), or persistent language delay (n = 19) on the basis of their test scores at 4.5 and 10.5 years of age. Relative effects of demographic, audiological, linguistic, and academic characteristics on language emergence were determined. Results: Age at CI was associated with normal language emergence but did not differentiate late emergence from persistent delay. Children with persistent delay were more likely to use left-ear implants and older speech processor technology. They experienced higher aided thresholds and lower speech perception scores. Persistent delay was foreshadowed by low morphosyntactic and phonological diversity in preschool. Logistic regression analysis predicted normal language emergence with 84% accuracy and persistent language delay with 74% accuracy. Conclusion: CI characteristics had a strong effect on persistent versus resolving language delay, suggesting that right-ear (or bilateral) devices, technology upgrades, and improved audibility may positively influence long-term language outcomes.

• Publisher: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Subject: Age / Age Differences / Age Factors / Assistive Technology / At Risk Students / Child / Child, Preschool / Children / Children & youth / Cochlear Implantation - methods / Cochlear Implants / Cognition / Communication / Data collection / Deafness / Delayed language acquisition / Delayed Speech / Development and progression / Elementary School Students / Expressive Language / Follow-Up Studies / Functional Laterality / Hearing Disorders - complications / Hearing disorders in children / Hearing Impairments / Hearing loss / Humans / Implants / Individual Characteristics / Infant / Language / Language Acquisition / Language Development / Language Development Disorders - complications / Language Development Disorders - diagnosis / Language disorders / Language Impairments / Language Skills / Language Tests / Logistic Models / Longitudinal Studies / Morphosyntax / Physiological aspects / Preschool children / Reading / Regression (Statistics) / Research Forum: SLI, ADHD, ASD, CI, Bilingualism, and Bidialectism / Risk Factors / Sign language / Speech / Speech disorders / Speech Impairments / Speech perception / Speech reception thresholds / Studies / Surgery / Test scores / Thresholds / Unilateralism / Young Children