Implanted Pediatric Patient Early Audiometry

Conventional audiometry reliability is reached after a variable length period when is applied to implanted pediatric patients, hence delaying auditory rehabilitation therapy decision-making. This work deals with the implanted pediatric patient sound field audiometry early estimation by using the Electrical Cochlear Response (ECR) threshold, which is obtained while patient is using her/his cochlear implant (CI) functioning in everyday mode. In a transversal study, sound field audiometry and ECR thresholds were obtained in a group of 34 prelingual pediatric implanted patients, ranged in age from 1.8 to 6 years, and grouped by age and CI use time. ECR thresholds profile and sound field audiometry show the same tendency over patient age and device use time, however ECR thresholds show a stable behavior across age and device use in contrast to sound field audiometry. Sound field audiometry had higher standard deviation for short age patients and scanty device use. There was a significant difference between ECR thresholds and audiometry across frequency, 16.5 dB_HL on average by age, and 14.6 dB_HL on average by CI use time (p < 0.05). In contrast, there was an average difference no significant of 4.1 dB_HL and 3.1 dB_HL when patient age and cochlear implant use time increases, respectively. These results indicate the feasibility to get patient hearing thresholds as soon as CI is activated. Early audiometry estimation by using ECR thresholds allows an opportune therapy decision-making, increasing patient rehabilitation expectations and avoiding audiometry limitations due to patient short age, general health condition and scanty CI use time.