Response to Popelka and Gittelman (1984): "Audiologic findings in a child with a single-channel cochlear implant".
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M A Thielemeir.
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This article presents a statistical analysis of factors which may be predictive of improved speech and audiologic performance for implanted children. Such findings provide some prognostic indicators for identifying children who may have greater potential for success with the implant.
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In recent years, the House single-electrode cochlear implant has proven to be a clinically feasible prosthesis for profoundly deaf adults. Based on these findings, the decision was made to begin implanting those children who could not benefit from hearing aids. As of August 1982, 23 profoundly deaf children (ranging in age from 3.4 to 17.5 yrs) have received the cochlear implant. The majority were deafened by meningitis. Results to date indicate that children demonstrate sound field thresholds and receive timing/intensity information comparable to that of adult implant patients. Results have been extremely encouraging, but only long-term experience will determine the ultimate benefit of the implant in children.
Audiological data collected through June 1984 were analyzed for 126 children with the cochlear implant. Preimplant hearing aid results were compared to cochlear implant results at 6-month follow-up test intervals. Auditory thresholds to warble tones and speech stimuli, and auditory discrimination test scores were significantly better with the cochlear implant at all test intervals than preoperatively with a hearing aid. Electrical measurements were also monitored. Mean thresholds remained consistent over time. Electrical comfort levels increased slightly over time, indicating a widening of the electrical dynamic range. Results have been extremely encouraging. Some trends are beginning to develop, but more long-term data are needed to define the potential benefit of the implant in children.
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Audiological test results from 135 adult, profoundly deaf, single-electrode cochlear implant subjects are presented. Unaided, aided, and cochlear implant warble-tone and speech detection thresholds have been analyzed, as well as word, word stress, and environmental sound discrimination scores. Results indicate that implant thresholds are significantly better than aided thresholds at all frequencies tested and for speech detection. Also, word, word stress, and environmental sound discrimination scores are all significantly better with the implant than with a hearing aid. Although the implant does not provide speech discrimination, subjects report that it does provide valuable speech and sound awareness, which aids in speechreading and voice monitoring. A small group of subjects has shown that an an implant in the poorer ear can also be successfully combined with a hearing aid in the better ear. The audiological test results clearly show that the implant is a viable alternative for the profoundly deaf.