The effect of implantation age and binaural hearing on working memory, attention and language skills

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of cochlear implantation age and bilateral implantation on cognitive skills which verbal working memory, attention and language development and to compare these cognitive skills in children with bilateral or unilateral cochlear implant. A total of 58 participants, including 21 children with unilateral early implants, 18 children with unilateral lateral implants and 19 children with bilateral implants, were included in the study between the ages of 6 and 8 years and 11 months. Language skills were assessed with TODIL test, working memory with GISD-B test and selective attention skills with the Stroop test. According to the findings obtained from the studies, there was a significant difference in language, working memory and attention skills among individuals with unilateral early and unilateral late implants, at the same time no significant difference was found between individuals with unilateral early and bilateral implants. When language, working memory and attention skills were analyzed within the group, it was observed that these cognitive skills had high correlation coefficients in relation to each other.