Abstract
Objective: To compare postcochlear implantation (CI) speech perception (SP) outcomes between a non-English speaking ethnic minority study group and an English speaking ethnic majority control group.
Method: We performed a retrospective case-control study at an academic tertiary care children’s hospital. Records were reviewed of 49 children who underwent CI from February 2005 to September 2011. Children with abnormal cognitive function (n = 12), postsurgical complications (n = 1), or incomplete SP testing (n = 24) were excluded. The remaining 12 cases (implantation age 1-10 years; mean, 4.3 years) were reviewed for language, income, ethnicity, and SP scores. Their scores were compared to those from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study. The CDaCI is a demographically balanced and multicenter-based pediatric cohort from which publications are beginning to define normative post-CI SP outcomes. Both groups had equivalent neurological status and age.
Results: Of our 12 children, 7 were Hispanic, 2 white, 2 multi-ethnicity, and 1 Russian. Four were non-English speaking, 5 spoke English as a second language, and 7 were bilingual. Three received bilateral CI. Early Speech Perception (ESP) scores were collected at 6 and 12 months. At both follow-up intervals the study group performed significantly worse than the control group. (6-month P =.048, 12-month P = .01)
Conclusions: This study suggests that among pediatric CI recipients, those from predominantly non-English speaking, socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds develop SP at slower than normal rates. Future interventions should be directed at overcoming these obstacles.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.