Language and Speech Outcome of Young Children with Bimodal Fitting versus Unilateral Cochlear Implants

Abstract Background Hearing impairment is the most common sensory loss in the human population. The ability of hearing challenged individuals to communicate is influenced by factors such as the level of remaining hearing, the specific kind of deafness, their language proficiency, the age at which hearing difficulties began, their ability to understand speech via lip-reading, and their educational background. The objective of this study was to evaluate the language and speech acquisition and perception in children who had bimodal fitting (combining a hearing aid and a cochlear implant in opposite ears) and those who with unilateral cochlear implantation to determine whether there is a more favourable outcome of either condition or not. The study was applied on 30 children (15 with unilateral cochlear implant and 15 with bimodal fitting). The baseline evaluation was done 6 months after finishing programming of the cochlear implant device. Then they were re-evaluated after 12 months during which they received intensive language and speech therapy. The evaluation was done by the Modified Preschool Language Scale (PLS4) and the Standardized Arabic Articulation Test. Results On comparing unilateral CI and bimodal fitting results, there was statistically significant differences between total, receptive and expressive language age in 1st and 2nd evaluations as well as various aptitudes of receptive and expressive language, while there was no statistically significant difference in articulatory defects between the same groups. Conclusion The findings indicated that the use of both cochlear implants (CI) and hearing aids (HA) (bimodal fitting), has an advantage over unilateral CI on language skills development in children.