Abstract

Background: Emotional and social challenges are higher in children with hearing loss
especially during their transition from childhood to adolescence phase. Before the cochlear
implant placement became a routine and widely accepted management modality for
treating hearing loss in children, the children felt more psychosocial issues.
Aims: The present trial was conducted to assess if children with cochlear implants
secondary to hearing loss have similar psychosocial challenges as their peers having
normal hearing patterns by assessing the responses given by children or their parents
concerning the child's health-related quality of life.
Materials and Methods: 62 subjects were divided into two categories of 8-11 years old and
12-16 years (n=31). Independent assessment of children and their parents was done. The
comparison was done of children's responses with their parent's responses, and with
responses of the control children with the normal hearing pattern. The quality of life was
evaluated using the KINDLR survey designed especially for children.The collected data
were subjected to statistical evaluation and the results were formulated.
Results:In 8-11 years old compared to their peers with the normal hearing pattern,
cochlear implants had a less positive quality of life concerning their family and physical
well-being with p< 0.0001. In 12-16 years when compared to their peers with the normal
hearing pattern, cochlear implants had a less positive quality of life concerning their
friends, school, and self-esteem with respective p-values of 0.01, 0.04, and 0.07.
Conclusion:Children with cochlear implants report their quality of life as similar to the
subjects with the normal hearing pattern. In comparison, responses by parents were
reliable and comparable to the children. The quality of life was better in young children
compared to the older children group.