Performance of multiply handicapped children using cochlear implants

Objective: To explore the possibility of expanding implantation guidelines to include the multiply handicapped population and to determine the pattern of development of perceptual skills in deaf children who have other impairments. Patients and Setting: The study group consisted of 31 profoundly deaf children with documented impairments in addition to deafness who were consecutively implanted. Twenty-nine of the children underwent implantation and were followed at NYU Medical Center for at least 1 year. Interventions and Main Outcome Measures: Routine audiometric measurements and closed- and open-set measures of speech perception were pet-formed at the phoneme, word, and sentence level pre- and postoperatively. Analyses of variance were performed when possible. Results: The study population showed substantial improvement after implantation in the ability to perceive phonemes, words, and sentences using audition alone. Conclusions: Multiply handicapped children obtain demonstrable benefit from cochlear implantation, with no increase in surgical complications, although the rate of growth of perceptual skills is slower than for deaf child with no additional complicating factors.