Long-Term Follow-Up of Implanted Children with Cytomegalovirus-Related Deafness

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, with a long-term follow-up, the speech perception and language development in children with cytomegalovirus (CMV)-related deafness after cochlear implantation. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study on CMV-related profound deafness and cochlear implantation was performed from 1995 to 2010. Six children with an average follow-up of 10 years were included in this research. Medical history, imaging, cognitive delay, speech perception and production data were reviewed. RESULTS: Two of the 6 patients developed a functional language with the use of phrases and word sequences based on morphological and syntactic rules; the others demonstrated the development of a preverbal or transitional language with the use of single words only. CONCLUSION: Patients with CMV-related deafness benefit from cochlear implantation; however, the expectations of the parents must be evaluated in a series of counseling efforts prior to the surgery.