Outcomes of Cochlear Implants :
Factors that Influence Progress
Each individual will progress at their own rate and many factors can influence this, such as duration of deafness, age at implantation, family commitment and educational placement.
Use of the device crucially affects rate of progress. It is essential that the speech processor is worn all waking hours each day, in order to maximise an individual’s potential. Without this commitment, progress is significantly impaired.
It is essential that children are exposed to spoken language and have the opportunity to develop spoken language through listening practice and hearing speech in everyday situations. For children who have previously used sign language there would be an expectation for the child to become gradually less sign dependent over time, with a change in emphasis towards only using spoken language.