How Does a Cochlear Implant Benefit Deaf Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder?

A new study found that a cochlear implant in deaf children with autism may improve language skills and social engagement.

Restoring hearing through cochlear implantation for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can help them understand spoken language and enhance social interactions, according to a study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

The study reported long-term outcomes of the largest number of children with ASD who received a cochlear implant, with a mean follow-up of 10.5 years. Findings were published in the journal Otology & Neurotology.

Autism Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically characterized by impaired social and communication skills combined with repetitive movements.

‘Improved hearing enhances the cognitive and communication potential of deaf children with autism spectrum disorder as well as helps them to engage more with their families.’

“Our results add to the growing body of evidence that cochlear implantation benefits deaf children with autism spectrum disorder,” said senior author Nancy Young, MD, Medical Director of Audiology and Cochlear Implant Programs at Lurie Children’s and a Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

According to recent estimates, one in 88 children in the US have ASD, a complex developmental disorder characterized by impaired communication and social interaction. Twenty-five to 30 percent of normal-hearing children with ASD do not develop spoken language as a means of communication.

Therefore, children with ASD in combination with profound hearing loss have two conditions that may limit the development of spoken language. Not surprisingly, the children in this study usually developed understanding and use of spoken language more slowly than implanted children without ASD.

Hearing Loss in Young Children and Early Intervention
Early identification of hearing loss in infants and young children and treating hearing impairment can go a long way to integrate them into the society of talking people.

Children with ASD have been reported to have a higher prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) than children without ASD. Conversely, children with SNHL have been reported to have a higher rate of ASD than those with normal hearing.

The relationship between these two diagnoses for some of these children may be due to congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), an infection that begins in the developing fetus that often is unrecognized after birth. It may cause hearing loss and is associated with increased incidence of ASD.

Cochlear Implants may Consequently Drive Hearing Loss
The development of new bone formation after the cochlear implants may adversely increase long-term hearing loss.

The majority (73 percent) of children in the study consistently used their cochlear implant throughout the day, of whom 45 percent developed some understanding of spoken words with hearing alone (no visual cues).

Forty-five percent also used spoken language to some degree as part of their overall communication. Eighty-six percent were reported by parents to have improved social engagement after implantation.

Quiz on Hearing Loss
A little difficulty in hearing is natural with the aging process but if the auditory damage occurs because of other reasons, it can be a cause for concern. Take this quiz to find out how much you know about hearing loss.

Diagnosis after implantation is likely related to the young age at which most received their implant, and to increased difficulty diagnosing ASD when significant hearing loss is present.

Understanding the range of outcomes in this population is important for counseling parents and educators to ensure that these children receive appropriate support and services.

Source-Medindia