2008 Volume 51 Issue 3 Pages 221-234
We followed and investigated the abilities of language and intelligence in each case of a deaf-only child, deaf-child with low-birth-weight anamnesis, and deaf-child with newborn-asphyxia anamnesis. We had these children wear a H. A. or C. I. and administered preschool language-training, basically by the ‘auditory-verbal method’ for 6 years and 8 months, from the age of 2 years and 8 months to the age of 9 years and 9 months, on average.
The results were as follows;
1. In the case of the deaf-only child who started wearing a C. I. at the age of 3 years and 6 months, the child was able to catch up with and exceed the language and intelligence abilities of children of similar calendar age.
2. In the case of the deaf-child with low-birth-weight anamnesis who started wearing a C. I. at the age of 3 years and 6 months, the child was able to catch up in the abilities of language and intelligence with children of the same calendar age by 8 years of age, and his developmental progress was the same as that of a normal child with low-birth-weight anamnesis.
3. In the case of the deaf-child with newborn-asphyxia anamnesis who started wearing a C. I. at the age of 8 years and 2 months, the abilities of language and intelligence remained retarded even when the child reached llyears of age, that is, 2 years and 10 months after he started wearing the C. I.
4. Therefore, we should eliminate the effects of profound severe hearing loss by prescribing C. I. early in life; furthermore, it is also important to ensure adequate total developmental training. Our results suggest that if these measures could be implemented effectively the long-lasting adverse effects of low-birth-weight and newborn asphyxia on development may be avoided.
