CHILD’S COMMUNICATIVE STATUS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AT PRECOCHLEAR IMPLANT ASSESSMENT.

Abstract

 Objective: Our study highlighted child’s communicative status and associated factors at the time of pre-cochlear implant speech therapy assessment. 

Study Design: It is was a cross-sectional study.  

Place and Duration of Study: The data collection was done form June 2020 till January 2021 at a rehabilitation hospital in Pakistan. 

Material and Methods: A questionnaire and informal speech therapy clinical assessment was administered to collect data from the parents and children coming for pre-cochlear implant communication fitness assessment. Data collection took almost 15-20 mins. SPSS was used for evaluation. 

Results: 93% of the children did not undergo hearing aid and speech habilitation trail before proceeding to cochlear implant. Most of the children were using distinct expressive skills to communicate and had age-appropriate play skills. These skills can help design appropriate speech therapy goals post-cochlear implant speech therapy. 10% of the children had oro-motor deficits. The p-value was significant for socio-economic status, mother’s education and linguistic background. 

Conclusion: The children adapted communication skills even with hearing loss and it was augmented by strategies like lip reading and play patterns. Hence, strength and deficits of hearing-impaired children considering oro-motor deficit and prior adequate therapeutic trail should be considered during post and pre cochlear implant speech therapy.  

Key Words: Cochlear implant, speech therapy, Communication patterns.