Analysis of Communication Intention of Children with Cochlear Implant

Sung, Young-Ju; Yoon, Mi-Sun; Hong, Gyung-Hun

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Commun Sci Disord. 2010;15(2): 205-219.

Young-Ju Sung^` , Mi-Sun Yoon^` , and Gyung-Hun Hong^`

성영주(Young-Ju Sung)| 윤미선(Mi-Sun Yoon)| 홍경훈(Gyung-Hun Hong)

ABSTRACT

Background & Objectives
Since communication intention is an important early variable in language development, this study looked at the overall frequency of communicative intentions, rate of communicative modes, rate of communicative intention types and size of communicative intention inventories in children with cochlear implants(CI) compared to both chronological age-matched children and language age-matched children with normal hearing.
Method
27 total children (9 with CI, 9 chronological age-matched, 9 language age-matched) age 17 to 35 months were assessed while interacting with their mothers, then the data analyzed through ANOVA.
Results
When compared to normal hearing children of the same chronological age, the overall frequency of communication intention, use of speech-gestures, use of verbal statements and size of communicative intention inventories were all significantly lower in the CI children. However, when compared to normal hearing children of the same language age, CI children showed no significant differences. When compared to language age-matched normal hearing children, the CI group did not show a significant difference in the mode of communication intention—unlike children with hearing aids.
Discussion & Conclusion
These results indicate that with early intervention children with cochlear implants will develop normally in terms of communicative intent.