Online ISSN: 2515-8260

Assessing the quality of life in children and adolescents after cochlear implants compared to controls with normal hearing pattern

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Dr. Kundirthi Chaitanya Babjee1 ,Dr. Thalva Charitha2 ,Dr. Vinod Kumar3 ,Dr. Akhil Sareen4*

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.

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