The Effect of Age of Cochlear Implantation on Speech Intelligibility to Others

Cochlear implantation is a common surgical procedure for children with profound hearing loss who receive minimal or no benefit from traditional hearing aids. Cochlear implants bypass the damaged portion of the inner ear by providing direct electrical stimulation to the auditory nerve. This electrical stimulation attempts to simulate hearing and is highly successful in many children. However, previous research suggests that most children will need to be implanted at an early age to allow for normal auditory processing of speech signals; normal auditory processing of signals is vital in producing intelligible speech. The goal of the present systematic review is to examine the effect of age at implantation on speech intelligibility, which is defined as the comprehensibility of speech to an outside listener. Providing cumulative evidence that age at implantation significantly impacts speech intelligibility will provide further support for early intervention and implantation in children with profound hearing loss. Introduction