Background: Developmental evaluation of deaf children before cochlear implantation (CI) has not been given enough attention.
Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the comprehensive developmental performance of deaf children who are CI candidates.
Materials and methods: The medical records of pediatric candidates for CI were reviewed. Five hundred children (287 boys; median age: 21.00 months; range: 6-72 months) with a diagnosis of severe-to-profound hearing loss were included. Preoperative developmental evaluation, including gross motor, fine motor, adaptability, language and social skill were retrieved. Comprehensive developmental performances including verbal and nonverbal skill were assessed. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to analyze the related developmental factors.
Results: Compared with normal developmental metrics, deaf children had developmental delay (p < .001), which occurred in not only the verbal but also nonverbal skill (all p < .05). Of the 500 deaf children, 50 (10%) had normal performance; the majority (51.6%) had mild neurological dysfunction. Of all the sub-developments, language developed worst (normal rate: 4.2%) and gross motor developed best (normal rate: 42%). Age of intervention was a risk factor for the developmental level of deaf children (β = -0.340, p < .05).
Conclusions: Pediatric candidates for CI had both verbal and nonverbal developmental delay. Age of intervention was a risk factor for the developmental level.
Significance: Comprehensive developmental evaluation of deaf children before cochlear implantation (CI) should be paid enough attention. Early intervention for improving hearing was of significance.
Keywords: Cochlear implantation; children; deaf; developmental performance.