Cochlear implants, vibrators and hearing aids in the rehabilitation of postlingual deafness.

Three groups of postlingually deaf adults were formed by non-random selection. The subjects with some residual hearing were fitted with a powerful hearing aid (HA group, n = 10). The others received either a single-channel vibrotactile aid (V group, n = 8) or a single-channel intracochlear implant (CI group, n = 10). Training containing individual counselling and rehearsal in small groups was arranged. During the follow-up (CI group 2.0 yrs, V group 1.8 yrs, HA group 2.6 yrs), the subject's achievement was assessed by a repetition of audiological testing and written questionnaires. Whereas the HA group obtained the highest scores in the audiological tests, the CI group found the implant most beneficial in everyday life. No significant improvement in the test scores was observed during the follow-up. The extent of personal training, after an initial training period and motivation of the user, did not affect the test scores or the subjective evaluation.

Audiological results using single-channel intracochlear implant, vibrotactile aid or acoustic hearing aids.

Users of a single-channel intracochlear implant (CI, n = 10) (3M/House), a single-channel vibrotactile aid (V, n = 8) (Minivib 3/Special Instrument Ab) and acoustic hearing aids (HA, n = 9) were tested. The comparison was made after training and a minimum of 11 months' use of the devices. All subjects were considered profoundly deaf, but the HA group had some residual hearing. The HA group achieved the best mean test scores in all the tests given. The difference between the CI group and V group increased, in favour to the CI users, as the auditory task was changed from the level of simple signal analysis to the level of linguistic interpretation.

Associated handicaps in children with hearing loss.

In the differential diagnosis as well as in the rehabilitation of hearing impaired children other disorders affecting language aquisition and speech development need to be taken into account. The rehabilitation programme is highly dependent on the early diagnosis of these additional disorders such as dysphasia, mental retardation of various degrees, cognitive disorders such as dyslexia and dysgraphia, dyspractic and dysarthric disorders of speech production, cleft palate and other anomalies of articulatory organs, autism and other abnormal features of psychic and personality development. In addition children with multiple disorders like malformations, visual disorders, epilepsy, CP and other diseases and handicaps, even though they may not influence language and speech development directly, may still be deprived of possibilities to aquire adequate verbal stimulation. The paper presents a material of 200 children whose hearing loss was diagnosed at the preschool age. Major associated handicaps were found in 35.5% of cases and in 26% they were complicating rehabilitation and development of the child. The frequency of associated disorders and their effect on language and speech development, learning ability and social development is being more closely analysed and discussed.