Comparison of two quality-of-life questionnaires in cochlear implanted children

The present cross-sectional study compared efficacy between two quality-of-life questionnaires for cochlear implanted children: CIQOL-10 Global and PEACH. Forty cochlear implanted children, aged 18 months to 15 years, were included over a 3-month period. Children not wearing the implant, from non-French-speaking families, with psychomotor retardation or neurologic deficit were excluded. Ease of filling out the questionnaires and their relevance were assessed on Visual Analog Scales. The aim was to select the questionnaire better adapted to an implanted pediatric population. PEACH scored significantly better than CIQOL for ease of use and relevance, particularly for under-6 year-olds. On average, 3 of the 10 CIQOL questions went unanswered for children aged≤6 years, versus just 1 out of 13 for PEACH. PEACH, being easier to answer and more relevant, particularly for younger children, can optimize follow-up of cochlear implanted children.