Abstract
Introduction Between 15% to 30% of individuals with bilateral prelingual sensorineural hearing
loss present with associated disabilities. Cochlear implant (CI) is an alternative
treatment that provides consistent access to environmental and speech sounds, which
results in significant benefits regarding quality of life and auditory and language
development.
Objectives To study the auditory and communicative performance of individuals with CI and delayed
neuropsychomotor development after a minimum of five years using the device.
Methods A total of eight patients were included in the study. We collected the multidisciplinary
clinical records of participants, as well as the answers for the questionnaires applied
remotely, which included the Children with Cochlear Implants: Parental Perspectives
(CCIPP), International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children
and Youth Version (ICF-CY), and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).
Results We found that throughout the years of CI use, the auditory threshold means improved
significantly in all tested frequencies, as did the speech detection threshold and
the language and hearing results. Regarding parental perception, parents evaluated
aspects related to their children's social relations to be positive, and had worse
perceptions regarding aspects related to their education.
Conclusion We observed a progression in the participants' auditory and language skills throughout
the years of CI use; even in the presence of other associated disabilities. Future
multicentric studies with larger samples are needed to further the advancement of
rehabilitation in patients with other associated disabilities.
Keywords
hearing loss - cochlear implantation - cerebral palsy - rehabilitation
