Can we Measure Speech Perception Ability Objectively in Young Children usingCochlear Implant

Speech perception plays a significant role in the development of speech and language ability in children with hearing loss. There are various speech perception tests with the specific protocol to administer and score. Auditory evoked potential is an objective measure used for assessing hearing acuity in young children. Higher cortical evoked potential test provides an effective indication of the physiological status of auditory cortex. CEAP can be obtained in young children with assistive devices. The present research study aims to investigate whether latency and amplitude of aided cortical evoked potential can predict Speech perception score in cochlear implant users. 52 cochlear implant users and 102 typical children were tested. The mean age for children using cochlear implant was 8.05 years, standard deviation 1.4. The normal hearing group had a mean age of 8.12 years and standard deviation 1.46. Cochlear implant users were having at least 15 active electrodes. Speech stimulus was used with 100 ms duration, 20 ms rise/fall, 20 ms plateau tones. The inter-stimulus interval was kept at 1125 ms. During statistical analysis of data, CEAP P1 latencies and speech perception scores were found to be related. A further regression equation was obtained. The present study reveals speech stimuli can evoke distinct neural response patterns from auditory cortex. The present research study also helps in understanding the neural processing of speech in individuals with hearing impairment using Cochlear implant. Statistical analysis of data CEAP P1 latency and speech perception score regression equation were obtained. The result reveals that speech stimuli can evoke distinct neural response patterns from auditory cortex. CEAP finding support speech perception ability and auditory evoked potential help to the study of neural processing of speech in individuals with the cochlear implant. The evoked potential and speech perception ability has a significant relation between them.