Objective: To analyze external factors affecting auditory ability of infants and toddlers after cochlear implantation in the first year of switch-on.
Method: Seventy-five infants and toddlers after cochlear implantation were selected as subjects, using LittlEARS Auditory Questionnaire to assess and analyze the correlations with auditory ability and external factors (including gender, cochlear implanted age, pre-implant hearing aid fitting, caregivers' education background, household income and rehabilitation modes) in different stages (before switch-on, and 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months after switch-on).
Result: The mean scores of LittlEARS were significantly different in cochlear implanted age group, pre-implant hearing aid fitting group and rehabilitation modes group (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in other groups such as external factor gender, caregivers' education background and household income (P > 0.05). The correlations with the mean scores of LittlEARS and cochlear implantation age or pre-implant hearing aid fitting were significant at 3 months or 6 months after switch-on(/r/ ≥ 0. 3, P < 0.01). However, the correlation with the mean scores of LittlEARS and rehabilitation modes was significant at 12 months after switch-on(/r/ > ≥ 0.3, P < 0.01).
Conclusion: Cochlear implanted age and pre-implant hearing aid fitting were the important factors affecting auditory ability of infants and toddlers after cochlear implantation in the first year of switch-on. The effect of rehabilitation modes on auditory ability of infants and toddlers after cochlear implantation was slow.