Long-Term Language Development in Children With Early Simultaneous Bilateral Cochlear Implants.
Ona Bø Wie, Janne von Koss Torkildsen, Stefan Schauber and 2 others
PMID 32079817WHAT IT FOUND
Early bilateral implants help general language close the gap with hearing peers by year four.
But by year six, receptive vocabulary and expressive grammar fall behind again. Monitor these specific skills long-term, even if early progress looks perfect.
Key findings
01General language gaps closed by 48 months, but receptive vocabulary and expressive grammar showed significant deficits at 72 months.
02Children implanted before 12 months had higher language scores than those implanted at 12-18 months, and this gap did not close over 6 years.
03Speech recognition ability, age at implantation, and maternal education were key predictors of language outcomes at the study endpoint.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (19 children), which reduces statistical power and generalizability. Some children were excluded due to device failures or additional handicaps, which may bias the results toward more successful cases. The study did not include a unilateral implant group, so it cannot determine if bilateral implantation specifically helped or hindered these outcomes compared to unilateral. Speech recognition tests used to predict language outcomes were themselves language-based, making causal interpretation difficult.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that early bilateral implantation guarantees age-appropriate language in the long term. The study shows that while general language may catch up by year four, specific skills like receptive vocabulary and grammar can fall behind again by year six.