Article
Auditory brainstem implantation in a deaf-born child with developmental disorder – a case report
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Authors
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Angelika Strauß-Schier
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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Urte Rost
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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Angelika Illg
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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Gert Joseph
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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Thomas Lenarz
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| Published: | July 30, 2013 |
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Outline
Text
Introduction: Auditory brainstem implantation (ABI) in deaf-born children is still relatively rare. Most of the children have additional handicap. Therefore it can be assumed that these have an impact on the hearing and speech development after ABI provision. In a case report it will be presented the hearing and speech development of a child with ABI experience of 3 years with additional developmental disorder.
Materials and methods: The 5-years-old child was provided with an ABI at the age of 2 years and 2 months at the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover. It has bilateral profound hearing loss since birth due to cochlear nerve aplasia. In addition, a combined developmental disorder and a partial palatine cleft exist.
After ABI activation at the age of 2 years and 4 months, parent questionnaires were used to assess hearing and speech development. Language tests and speech audiometric tests were carried out.
Results: The LittlEARS Auditory Questionnaire shows that after 9 months experience in hearing with ABI the test value of the child corresponds to the expected value of a normal hearing 9-month-old child. In the multi-Frequency Animal Sound Test (mFAST) the speech detection level for animal sounds is about 30dB HL and discrimination is possible. The language development measured by the Marburger Sprachverständnistest für Kinder (MSVK) shows that there were gains on the level of word- and sentences understanding, but they were not in the age-appropriate normal range.
Conclusions: The case study has demonstrated that auditory performance skills with ABI have continuously expanded. The child can perceive and discriminate language and sounds. Language development has started, but taking into account the development disorder, it is not age-appropriate compared with normal hearing children. Therefore, the use of sign language is still required in addition.
To obtain further statements on the hearing and language development in children with ABI, careful documentation of other cases considering the etiology is required.
