Effective factors on the progress of children with cochlear implants in aural rehabilitation programs

Because speech and language development occurs early in life, the age at which hearing loss is diagnosed and cochlear implantation occurs affects speech clarity and comprehension in children with severe to profound hearing loss. The present study investigated the correlation between the age hearing loss is diagnosed and cochlear implantation and the characteristics of children and parents with the level of progress these children experience in aural rehabilitation programs. The study investigated the records of 62 pediatric cochlear implant recipients before and after surgery. Patients had a mean age of 4.71 years (standard deviation = 2) and had undergone cochlear implant surgery at Khalili Hospital in the city of Shiraz, Iran between 2003 and 2011. A significant correlation was found between the progress of children in auditory rehabilitation programs and the age hearing loss was diagnosed (p < 0.0001) and cochlear implantation (p < 0.018). There was also a significant difference between the level of education of the parents and the progress of the children (father: p < 0.0001; mother: p < 0.003). There was also a significant difference in the level of progress of children and the existence or non-existence of behavioral problems in the children (p < 0.0001). Early diagnosis of hearing loss, cochlear implantation at an early age, higher education level of parents, and the lack behavioral problems in the children have significant effects on their success in aural rehabilitation programs.