Changes in educational placement and speech perception ability after cochlear implantation in children

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect and relationship of paediatric cochlear implantation on educational placement and speech perception ability and to determine the effect of a multilingual background on educational placement and speech perception ability after cochlear implantation. DESIGN: This study consisted of a retrospective chart review of 83 implanted patients and a questionnaire sent to parents of 80 implanted children. SETTING: This study was conducted in a cochlear implant program at a tertiary care centre. METHODS AND OUTCOME MEASURES: From the chart review, the educational placements and speech perception scores of implanted children were determined before and after implantation. In the questionnaire, parents were asked about their preferred educational placement for their child, the language spoken at home, and their impressions of the chosen school program for their child. RESULTS: Of the children who were in nonmainstream school programs at implantation (n = 30), 50% moved toward mainstream with 9 (30%) reaching mainstream placement. Of the children who were preschool at implantation (n = 34), 24 (70%) were placed or planned to be placed in mainstream after implantation. The rate of improvement in speech perception ability was significantly higher in those children who moved toward or remained in mainstream than those who stayed at the same nonmainstream educational placement or moved away from mainstream. Children from a multilingual background were able to achieve similar educational placements and similar rates of progress of speech perception outcome as the only English-speaking children. CONCLUSIONS: Children with cochlear implants have increased educational opportunities, with those children in mainstream and those who have moved toward mainstream demonstrating improved progress in speech perception ability.