A comparison of the perceptual evaluation of speech production between bilaterally implanted children, unilaterally implanted children, children using hearing aids, and normal-hearing children

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptual evaluation of several speech characteristics between bilaterally implanted children (biCI), unilaterally implanted children (uniCI), children using hearing aids (HA), and normal-hearing children (NH). Design: Perceptual evaluations of intelligibility, phonation, resonance, and articulation were compared between the several subgroups. Study sample: Thirteen biCI children, 14 uniCI children, 10 HA children using hearing aids and 11 NH children participated. Results: The biCI children did not show statistically significant differences with the NH children for overall intelligibility, phonation, and resonance. Yet, significantly more distortions and consonant cluster reductions were observed in the biCI children compared with the NH children. In comparison with the uniCI and HA children, the NH as well as the biCI children obtained better evaluations for intelligibility, phonation, resonance, and articulation of consonants. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated a possible additional beneficial effect of bilateral implantation on several speech characteristics of prelingually deaf children and as a consequence highlighted the interest of further research.