Abstract
In Japan, clinical use of cochlear implant (Nucleus) was started in 1985. However, young children cases are still very few. This study is concerned with the language development of three congenitally deaf children with cochlear implant who are trained in the children center (Funasaka). This center's staff are anthropologists who specialize in language development in infants, a master of kindergarten, a foreign language teacher and mothers who have raised at least two of their own children. They are all volunteers. The first case, a girl who was implanted at the age of five years and eight months, could speak two words sentences with a relatively natural intonation after one month training, and three words sentences after eleven months. She could understand six words sentences after approximately one year. The second and the third cases are twin girls, who were implanted at the age of five years, could speak two words sentences after one week training, three words sentences after three or four months, could understand six words sentences after several months' training. These results and neurophysiological consideration suggest that the cochlear implant should be performed as early as possible in cases of congenitally deaf children. The close cooperation of the mother of the young implantee is an important factor in their training.
