The value of nonverbal intelligence in cochlear implant

Background: Congenital sensorineural hearing loss is a common congenital condition.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between nonverbal mental development and the effect of post-cochlear implant in children.

Material and methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of the CI program implemented at the ENT in the Lanzhou University Second Hospital (China). We reviewed data of 225 children who received CI between 2015 and 2018. Finally, 115 children met the inclusion criteria. Our hospital used The Griffith mental development scales to evaluate the preoperative non-verbal intelligence. The outcome of CI was evaluated using the categories of IT-MAIS, MUSS, CAP and SIR at 2 years after surgery. The associations between the preoperative non-verbal development quotient (DQ) and the postoperative outcomes were analyzed.

Results: Preoperative non-verbal DQ correlates with the long-term postoperative result, especially the Eye-hand co-ordination and Performance DQ.

Conclusions and significance: Preoperative non-verbal intelligence would predict postoperative effect. The single postoperative scale does not fully reflect the postoperative result.