Article
Unilateral deafness and moderate hearing loss on the contra lateral ear in children – an indication for Cochlear Implantation?
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Published: | July 22, 2009 |
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Outline
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Development of the auditory system provides good quality of binaural hearing on both ears. For the emergence of all phonemes of German language it is crucial to have access to high frequency hearing, which enables expansion oft auditory working memory during the first years of language development.
Lag of high frequency information due to asymmetric hearing loss and missing summation effect causes minor detection of morphemes (Plural/ Singular, Verbs) in natural language acquisition.
In these study 4 children, median age 4,4 y are presented. They showed a severe language delay. The mid hearing loss on the better ear was 47 dB, on the profound ear it was 100 dB.
The Ling-Test showed on the better ear a precice identification in all sounds (a, u, I, sh, s, m), however on the contra lateral ear perception was almost impossible.
One subtest of SETK 3-5, phonological working memory (PGN), could not be tested in 50% of the clients. 2 of the subjects performed significantly under average.
2 children received after indication for a Cochlear Implant surgery the device by Cochlear and 2 a Med El device.
One year after first mapping in all of the subjects not only a spurt in language development is reported, but also morphological structures emerged.
In conclusion binaural hearing was optimized through hearing aid on the better ear and cochlear implant on the profound deaf ear. The subjects not only accepted both devices from the beginning, also emergence of language could be observed.
References
- 1.
- Firszt JB, Reeder RM, Skinner MW. Restoring hearing symmetry with two cochlear implants or one cochlear implant and a contralateral hearing aid. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2008;45(5):749-67.