Speech perception by prelingually deaf children and postlingually deaf adults with cochlear implant.

We review recent data from the University of Iowa obtained from prelingually deaf children over 3 years using feature-extraction versions of the Nucleus cochlear implant, and from postlingually deaf adults using the compressed-analog Ineraid, a feature-extraction version of Nucleus, and a continuous interleaved sampling version of the Clarion cochlear implant. Both adults and children were followed over a 3-year period. Average results are shown where each patient is represented at each point in time. Results for the children show continued improvement over the 3-year period, with some children obtaining maximum scores possible on the easier closed-set tests. Substantial improvements in audiovisual enhancement were provided by the cochlear implant. Results from the adults show maximum gains within the first year of implant use, although some patients show continued improvements after 2 years of implant use. Adults who have been deaf for several years and who receive their implant when they are older tend not to perform as well as adults who have been deaf for only a few years or receive their implant when they are younger.