@article{3091230,
    title = "Development of spoken language grammar following cochlear implantation
in prelingually deaf children",
    author = "Nikolopoulos, TP and Dyar, D and Archbold, S and O'Donoghue, GDM",
    journal = "Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery",
    year = "2004",
    volume = "130",
    number = "5",
    pages = "629-633",
    publisher = "AMER MEDICAL ASSOC",
    issn = "0886-4470, 1538-361X",
    doi = "10.1001/archotol.130.5.629",
    abstract = "Objectives: To assess the development of grammar comprehension in spoken
language in prelingually deaf children following cochlear implantation
and compare their grammatical abilities with those of their hearing
peers.
Design: A prospective study of 82 consecutive prelingually deaf children
up to 5 years following implantation. The children were less than 7
years old at the time of implantation (mean age SD, 4.2 +/- 1.3 years).
All received the same multichannel cochlear implant system. No child was
lost to follow-up and there were no exclusions from the study.
Setting: Tertiary referral cochlear implant center.
Methods: The children were assessed using the Test for Reception of
Grammar. This individually administered, multiple-choice test designed
to assess the understanding of grammatical contrasts in the English
language also allows direct comparison of grammar comprehension between
test subjects and their normal-hearing peers.
Results: Before implantation, only a small proportion (2%) of
prelingually deaf children were above the first percentile of their
normal-hearing peers. This percentage increased to 40% and 67%,
respectively, 3 and 5 years after implantation; and 5 years after
implantation, 20% of the children performed between the 25th and the
75th percentile or better. In the subgroup of children who received
their cochlear device before the age of 4 years, this percentage reached
36%.
Conclusions: Spoken language grammar acquisition in prelingually deaf
children with a cochlear implant was found to be considerably delayed.
However, there was a clear trend toward the development of grammar
skills following cochlear implantation, and the greatest advance was
made by children who received their implant at a younger age. These
findings support the present trend. toward early implantation."
}