Cochlear implantation outcomes in children with global developmental delay.

Objective: As the number of hearing loss cochlear implant candidates who suffer from global developmental delay has dramatically increased, we aimed to study the prognosis of implantation in this group.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional case-control study, we utilized the Ages and Stages Questionnaire third edition (ASQ-3) to investigate the prognosis of cochlear implantation and its rehabilitation in 26 congenitally deaf children who suffered from global developmental delay compared with those in 25 non-delayed cases with the same conditions in two time periods, namely the first diagnosis of hearing loss and 18 months after the surgery and rehabilitation program. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 21 (SPSS-21).

Results: By the time of hearing loss diagnosis (six months old), the performance of all the global developmentally delayed hearing loss children in five subtests of the ASQ-3 scale was significantly lower than that of their non-delayed peers. Meanwhile, they improved significantly in two gross motor and social development subtests 18 months after the surgery and rehabilitation.

Conclusion: Along with the general improvement of delay developed children with sensorineural hearing loss after cochlear implantation, global developmental assessment in the process of candidacy and after implantation is an essential factor that needs to be considered.