Abstract
Currently, bilateral cochlear implantation (BCI) in children is reimbursed in Japan, and unilateral cochlear implantation (UCI) has been the standard treatment for profound deafness. In the present study we assessed three school-aged children who underwent BCI at about 8 years of age, 6 years after first implantation to determine whether BCI was associated with improved listening skills, performance under noise, and higher general quality of life compared with UCI. Our results showed that the children did not become accustomed to the second implant for the first few months, but noticeable improvements in listening abilities were made by 6 months. The ability to hear monosyllables, words, and sentences with the second implant showed almost the same results as the first implant after 6 months to 1 year. Overall, BCI was considerably beneficial to improve speech performance in 2 of the 3 children under noise, although the third child still exhibited relatively good results (S/N ratio, 0 dB). Our findings also indicated that BCI could aid in the development of spoken language skills in hearing-impaired children. The PVT (Picture Vocabulary Test) or PVT-R (Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised) results of all three children increased after the second surgery. The children’s parents and teachers also recognized changes in participation in school activities.
