Trajectories of receptive and expressive vocabulary in Mandarin speaking children under 4 years of age fitted with cochlear implants: a 12-month longitudinal study

Abstract

Objective

To explore trajectories of receptive and expressive vocabulary in Mandarin-speaking children under the age of 4 years, fitted with cochlear implants (CIs).

Design

Vocabulary trajectories were measured at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months after implantation using the Chinese version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory.

Study sample

There were 216 children with CIs in West China Hospital who took part and were divided into three groups based on age at first CI.

Results

Receptive and expressive vocabulary scores of the younger implantation group were significantly different from the older groups at baseline. After 12 months of implant use, there were no significant differences between all groups. Furthermore receptive vocabulary trajectories for all children with CIs were not significantly different from those of children with normal hearing. However, expressive vocabulary trajectories were poorer when compared to children with normal hearing. Significant differences were seen between receptive and expressive vocabulary in all age groups.

Conclusions

This study suggests no differences in vocabulary trajectories in Mandarin-speaking children whether they received their first CI at 1, 2, or 3 years of age. It is important that clinicians convey realistic expectations about potential differences in receptive vs. expressive trajectories for Mandarin-speaking children fitted with CIs.

Keywords:

• Vocabulary development
• cochlear implant
• receptive and expressive vocabulary scores
• longitudinal follow-up study

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Professor Christopher Wigham for his proofreading. This research was supported by the Science & Technology Bureau of Chengdu under Grant 2018-YF05-01347-SN; West China Hospital, Sichuan University under Grant 2018HXFH043.

Ethical approval

The research protocol for the current study satisfied the appropriate ethics review policies at West China Hospital of Sichuan University [Approval Number: Review in 2016 (No. 167)].

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.