Perception and production of speech prosody and music by pediatric cochlear implant users and individuals with normal hearing

Abstract

With advances in cochlear implant technology, individuals with severe hearing loss can expect to achieve good speech perception skills with cochlear implants (CIs). Because of the biomechanical limitations of CI devices, however, CI users may experience some difficulty in decoding prosodic cues and tonal aspects of music. This paper summarizes evidence on perception and production of speech prosody and music in both normally hearing children and pediatric CI users. While future studies with rigorous methods are needed to determine causal effects of music training, evidence from recent studies suggests that pediatric CI users enjoy music and can benefit from musical experiences.