Adapting to bilateral cochlear implants: Early post-operative device use by children receiving sequential or simultaneous implants at or before 3.5 years

Abstract

Objective: To classify adaptation difficulties, or lack thereof, experienced by a clinical population of young bilateral cochlear implant recipients. Method: Forty-six of the first 48 children sequentially or simultaneously implanted at ≤ 3.5 years at the Melbourne Clinic participated. Classification into categories was based on daily use of both implants at 2 months post-switch-on, with follow-up information obtained at 12 months. Results: The 37 Category 1 children wore both implants full time at 2 months, and 35 still did so at 12 months. The two Category 2 children used both implants 4 hours daily at 2 months, but achieved full-time use within 12 months. The five Category 3 children used..