Auditory short-term memory in children with cochlear implant

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess short-term auditory memory in children with cochlear implant and to assess the possible correlation of their language ages with their memory scores to consider memory training during rehabilitation program for cochlear-implanted patients. Sixty-one Egyptian children were included in this study. Thirty prelingual deaf children implanted with the nucleus multichannel cochlear implant were included. Their ages at the time of implantation ranged from 4 years to 4 years 11 months. All of the children had normal intellectual abilities. All cases were selected from Wadi El Neel Hospital where they received their aural-oral rehabilitation program for 1 year. A total of 31 normal children of matched sex and age were selected as a control group. A battery of auditory short-term memory assessments for Arabic-speaking children were applied to all children. An Arabic language test was also applied. A significant defect in short-term auditory memory in cochlear-implanted children as compared with controls was proven. A positive correlation between short-term auditory memory and their language ages was found. The study revealed defective short-term auditory memory in cochlear-implanted children. This defect is more evident in cochlear-implanted children with poor language skills.