Cochlear Implant in persons with additional disabilities

The aim of this study was a review focussing on cochlear implant and additional disabilities. A literature study based on articles from scientific journals in the field of audiology that focus on cochlear implant and additional disabilities. The literature study focus on 6 articles that describes the benefit of cochlear implant for persons with CHARGE syndrome, Ushers syndrome, autism and additional disabilities. As they are the ones most described in the literature. Six -60 patients had taken part in the studies and they had different additional disabilities. Several evaluation methods had been used and the result of the implantation did vary between patients. It seams that patients with additional disabilities benefit from cochlear implantation but they may not receive a spoken language as a result. The benefit could for example be a better presence in the daily environment. Patients with additional disabilities should be given the opportunity to receive cochlear implant. However all relatives to the patient should be informed that the result from the implantation may not result in a spoken language. That information should be given to all relatives to implant candidates as some additional disabilities may not be known until after the implantation due to the patient’s often low age at implantation.Audionomprogramme