The effects of mismatch response-based programming on hearing and speech performances in cochlear implanted children: a follow-up study

Background It remains unclear whether the auditory mismatch response (MMR) can assist cochlear implants (CI) programming in children with CIs.Objective To explore the effects of MMR-based programming on hearing and speech abilities in cochlear implanted (CI) children.Material and Methods Twenty-two children were initially recruited, and 20 (14 boys, 6 girls) completed the study. The children received MMR-guided CI programming. Conventional subjective assessments were performed before programming (Pre), within one week after programming (W1), and three months after programming (M3).Results First, the scores of the MMR test, CAP, SIR, MUSS, consonants recognition, vowels recognition, and lexical tones recognition at W1 and M3 were significantly higher than those at Pre (p < 0.05). Second, MMR scores are not only positively correlated with certain hearing and speech performances at the same time point, but also with those at subsequent time points (p < 0.05).Conclusions and significance The MMR detection rate, as well as hearing and speech performances, consistently improved following MMR-based CI programming in CI children. Moreover, the effects remained stable over the 3-month follow-up period. MMR-based programming may serve as a new method of precision CI fitting.