Analysis of the developmental trajectory and influencing factors of auditory and speech functions after cochlear implantation in Mandarin Chinese speaking children

Abstract

Background: The auditory and speech development of the children with cochlear implants (CIs) are influenced by many factors.

Objective: To study the developmental trajectory and influencing factors of auditory and speech functions for the Mandarin Chinese speaking children with CIs.

Material and methods: The children with CIs undergoing rehabilitation in the same institution from June 2016 to June 2019 were followed up. Their closed monosyllables and disyllables recognition rate, closed average language age, categories of auditory performance (CAP) and speech intelligibility rating (SIR) were evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months of rehabilitation. The results were analyzed by SPSS 23.0.

Results: 49 children were followed up for 1 year, 29 children for 2 years. The evaluated indicators of auditory and speech functions were improved with the prolongation of rehabilitation and influenced by the age of cochlear implantation, the use of hearing aids before surgery, guardian’s educational degree, the relationship between guardian and child.

Conclusions and significance: The auditory and speech functions of the children with CIs were improved significantly with the prolongation of rehabilitation and influenced by many factors, which can help us to predict the effect of CI more accurately and develop an individualized rehabilitation program.

Chinese abstract

背景：接受人工耳蜗植入（CI）的儿童的听觉和言语发育受多种因素的影响。

目的：探讨汉语普通话人工耳蜗植入儿童听觉和言语功能的发展轨迹及其影响因素。

材料与方法：对2016年6月至2019年6月在同一医疗机构接受康复治疗的CI儿童进行随访。分别于康复期的0、1、3、6、12、24个月评定其闭合单音节和双音节识别率、闭合平均语言年龄、听觉表现类型（CAP）和语音清晰度等级（SIR）。用SPSS 23.0软件对其结果进行统计分析。

结果：随访1年的有49个儿童, 两年29个儿童。随着康复治疗的延长, 听力和语言功能的指标得以改善, 并受耳蜗植入年龄、术前助听器使用情况、监护人文化程度、监护人与儿童的关系等因素的影响。

结论及意义：随着康复时间的延长和多种因素的影响, CIs患儿的听觉和言语功能明显改善。这有助于我们更准确地预测CI的疗效, 制定个体化的康复方案。

Keywords:

• Hearing loss
• cochlear implant
• auditory and speech functions
• rehabilitation
• influencing factor

Acknowledgements

All authors contributed equally to this work. Anting Xu, Xintai Fan and Zhe Wang designed and performed experiments, analyzed data and wrote the paper; Rongcui Sui, Xiangguo Qi and Xu Yang collected and analyzed data from the Ruifeng Auditory-Speech Rehabilitation Center in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. Na Wang and Lingxiao Hou provided statistical analysis and critical revision. All authors discussed the results and implications and commented on the manuscript at all stages.

At the same time, we would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China for the financial support to ensure the smooth progress of the project.

In the end, we acknowledge the helpful comments on this paper received from our reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant number 81570924.