Sedigheh Safaeian Titkanlou, Toktam Maleki Shahmahmood, Zahra Ghayoumi-Anaraki, Fatemeh Haresabadi, Majid Haddadi Avval, Mohaddeseh Soltani, Mohsen Rajati Haghi,
Volume 23, Issue 6 (11-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Phonological awareness skills, as part of phonological processing abilities, can predict the extent of success in acquiring written and reading skills. Phonological awareness skills are of concern in children with severe and profound hearing loss, which has been less studied in this population. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate these skills in Cochlear-Implanted (CI) children and compare them with their healthy counterparts.
Methods & Materials: The study population included 25 CI children and 25 healthy children, aged 4-6 years, who were monolingual Persian speakers. The selected CI and healthy children were selected from the Rehabilitation Center of Naqmeh and the Kindergartens in Mashhad, City, Iran, respectively. After selecting each participant, the test of phonological awareness was administered. To compare the mean scores of each subtest, the obtained data were analyzed in SPSS v. 21 using the Mann-Whitney U test.
Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.MUMS.REC.1396.263).
Results: The mean scores of CI children were significantly lower than that of their healthy peers in all phonological awareness subscales (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The obtained data suggested that healthy children presented better performance than the CI children in the phonological awareness test. Poor phonological awareness skills in CI children seem to be associated with hearing deprivation before cochlear implantation; thus, it requires to speed up surgery at an early age and the implementation of an effective rehabilitation program.
Salime Jafari, Zahra Jeddi,
Volume 29, Issue 1 (3-2026)
Abstract
Children with cochlear implants exhibit significant variability in spoken language learning. Given the essential role of working memory components in language learning and the focus on cognitive processes by cochlear implant devices, it appears that significant differences in central neurocognitive functions, especially working memory, can partly explain individual variability in speech and language performance. Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review is to survey studies that have examined the relationship between working memory components, including the phonological loop, visuospatial Sketchpad, episodic buffer, and central executive, and oral language skills in children using cochlear implants. The results of the studies showed that working memory components grow and strengthen as the individual's auditory and linguistic experience increases, and their impact on the development of a wide range of language and speech skills is significant. The results of the studies indicate a two-way relationship between working memory skills and oral language skills, in that the basic performance and growth of one affects the progress of the other. Therefore, assessing the working memory performance of these children before using the device may improve the prediction of their language outcomes and lead to more effective design of rehabilitation programs after cochlear implantation
