Bilateral cochlear implants in children

Abstract

This article provides a brief overview of the advantages of two-ear hearing in children and discusses the limitations, from a psychophysical and a technical perspective, which may constrain the ability of cochlear implant users to gain these benefits. The latest outcomes for children using bilateral cochlear implants are discussed, which suggest that results are more favorable for children who receive both devices before the age of 3.5 to 4 years. The available studies that have investigated electrophysiological responses for children receiving bilateral implants are discussed. These also support the notion that optimum development of binaural auditory skills may be more difficult after the ..