Análise comparativa do vocabulário em crianças usuárias de implante coclear

Abstract

Introduction:In order to have a better knowledge about the development of language skills in cochlear implant (CI) users it is necessary to evaluate the speech of these subjects using appropriate tests. The ABFW-Child Language Test is a tool that relates to various areas: phonology, vocabulary, fluency and pragmatics, and that can be used with cochlear implant users for the purposes of this study.Objective: To evaluate the vocabulary of children who are cochlear implant users. Method: This study evaluated 16 children who had CI surgery between 08 and 52 months of age. The subjects were divided in five groups according to the age at the time of the CI activation, as follows: Group 1: 3 children implanted unilaterally with hearing age between 12 and 23 months of age; Group 2: children implanted bilaterally with hearing age between 12 months and 23 months of age; Group 3: 3 children implanted unilaterally with hearing age between 24 and 35 months of age; Group 4: 3 children implanted unilaterally with hearing age between 36 and 47 months of age and Group 5: 4 children implanted unilaterally with hearing age between 48 years and 59 months of age. Results: In the vocabulary test, when comparing CI users considering the auditory brain development age and the chronological age of normal hearing children, all CI users performed better than the standards for normal hearing children. When comparing children with unilateral and bilateral CI, the bilateral cochlear implant users showed better results. When comparing test performance considering the chronological age, normal hearing children performed better, but the results were similar in CI users that systematically use the device and attend auditory rehabilitation sessions.Conclusion: The vocabulary of CI users in the present study was similar to normal hearing children's vocabulary. The vocabulary test proved to be an effective measure to observe the gaps in development and helped the conduction of speech therapy in order to achieve the full development of speech and language skills of these children.