Introdução: O potencial evocado auditivo de estado estável (PEAEE) é um exame eletrofisiológico que permite a testagem simultânea e binaural do limiar auditivo por frequência específica. Por seu caráter objetivo vem sendo recomendada sua inclusão na bateria de testes para diagnóstico de crianças com deficiência auditiva. A possibilidade de diagnóstico precoce da perda de audição em crianças é fundamental para a redução dos agravos decorrentes da privação sensorial e a tomada de decisão quanto à intervenção adequada, como o uso do implante coclear (IC). A determinação do sucesso do uso do IC é dependente de múltiplos cofatores, entre eles, sugere-se que a presença de audição residual prévia ao implante poderia possibilitar a preservação das vias auditivas e áreas auditivas corticais, proporcionando melhor desenvolvimento das habilidades auditivas e de produção oral da linguagem com o reestabelecimento da entrada sensorial. Objetivo: Verificar a relação entre o PEAEE pré-operatório e a resposta auditiva pós-implante de crianças submetidas ao IC. Casuística e Método: Trata-se de um estudo observacional retrospectivo, desenvolvido a partir da análise de prontuários de pacientes do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, submetidos à cirurgia de IC. Foram incluídas 47 crianças menores de 6 anos à data de realização da cirurgia, diagnosticadas com perda auditiva neurossensorial pré-lingual de grau profundo. Foram coletadas informações audiológicas pré-implantação - PEAEE, PEATE, audiometria comportamental e demais aspectos de caracterização da perda auditiva; a categoria de percepção auditiva e de expressão oral da linguagem antes e após a implantação; além de informações socioeconômicas e da intervenção terapêutica. Resultados: O registro do PEAEE esteve presente em 34 (72,3%) crianças com limiar médio de 89,7 ± 10,2 dB NA na orelha implantada, consideradas as frequências de 0,5; 1; 2 e 4 kHz. A reavaliação foi conduzida em média 7,2 ± 2,1 meses após a cirurgia de IC, quando 23 (49%) sujeitos apresentaram avanço de uma categoria no desenvolvimento da percepção de fala e 4 (8,5%) alcançaram um desempenho dois níveis superior ao da avaliação anterior. O limiar obtido na audiometria em campo com o uso de IC teve média de 44,4 ± 12,4 dB NA, consideradas as frequências de 0,5; 1; 2 e 4 kHz. Quanto à expressão oral da linguagem, 13 (27,6%) crianças tiveram melhora em seu desempenho. Não houve correlação entre os resultados do PEAEE pré-implante e o limiar auditivo (p-valor=0,338) ou a categoria de linguagem (p-valor=0,358) com uso de IC quando controlado pela idade; nem em relação à melhora no desempenho de linguagem oral (p-valor= 0,095). Conclusão: Não houve correlação direta entre o limiar eletrofisiológico mensurado por meio do PEAEE e a resposta auditiva com uso de IC, quando analisados o limiar auditivo comportamental com IC ou a categoria de percepção de fala. / Background: The Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR) is an electrophysiological exam that allows simultaneous and binaural frequency specific testing of hearing thresholds. Considering its objectivity, the test has been recommended for hearing loss diagnosis in young children. This possibility of early identification of hearing impairment is fundamental for minimizing handicaps caused by sensory deprivation and for planning proper intervention, for example, suggesting the use of cochlear implants (CI). The determination of the success of CI prognosis depends on several cofactors. Researchers suggest that residual hearing and hearing thresholds before CI surgery could allow auditory pathways preservation and enable the development of hearing abilities, as well as speech production skills, after the reestablishment of sensory input. Objective: To verify the relation between pre-operatory ASSR and post-CI auditory response in young children. Casuistic and Method: An observational retrospective study was conducted. Medical records were assessed in 47 children, younger than six years old at the CI surgery, diagnosed with sensorineural pre-linguistic hearing loss of profound degree. Information was collected about (a) audiological data - ASSR, ABR, behavioral audiometry, and other hearing loss aspects; (b) category of speech perception and oral language production before and after CI; (c) socioeconomics data and therapy attendance. Results: ASSR record was present in 34 (72.4%) children with mean threshold of 89.7 (10.2 SD) dB HL in the implanted ear, considering the frequencies of 0.5; 1; 2 and 4 kHz. Post-implant evaluation was conducted after a mean of 7.2 (2.1 SD) months of surgery. Then, 23 (49%) subjects enhanced one category of speech perception and four (8.5%) improved two categories, compared to previous evaluation. Field auditory threshold with CI was measure at 44.4 (12.4 SD) dB HL in mean, considering the frequencies of 0.5; 1; 2 and 4 kHz. Analyzing language expression development, 13 (27.6%) children improved their performance. To the age at CI surgery there was no correlation between ASSR thresholds and CI thresholds (p-value=0.338) or speech perception category (p-value=0.358) after CI. No correlation has been found between ASSR and expressive language development (p-value=0.095). Conclusion: There was no direct correlation between electrophysiological thresholds measured by ASSR and hearing response after CI, when analyzed behavioral CI threshold or speech perception.

Introdução: O potencial evocado auditivo de estado estável (PEAEE) é um exame eletrofisiológico que permite a testagem simultânea e binaural do limiar auditivo por frequência específica. Por seu caráter objetivo vem sendo recomendada sua inclusão na bateria de testes para diagnóstico de crianças com deficiência auditiva. A possibilidade de diagnóstico precoce da perda de audição em crianças é fundamental para a redução dos agravos decorrentes da privação sensorial e a tomada de decisão quanto à intervenção adequada, como o uso do implante coclear (IC). A determinação do sucesso do uso do IC é dependente de múltiplos cofatores, entre eles, sugere-se que a presença de audição residual prévia ao implante poderia possibilitar a preservação das vias auditivas e áreas auditivas corticais, proporcionando melhor desenvolvimento das habilidades auditivas e de produção oral da linguagem com o reestabelecimento da entrada sensorial. Objetivo: Verificar a relação entre o PEAEE pré-operatório e a resposta auditiva pós-implante de crianças submetidas ao IC. Casuística e Método: Trata-se de um estudo observacional retrospectivo, desenvolvido a partir da análise de prontuários de pacientes do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, submetidos à cirurgia de IC. Foram incluídas 47 crianças menores de 6 anos à data de realização da cirurgia, diagnosticadas com perda auditiva neurossensorial pré-lingual de grau profundo. Foram coletadas informações audiológicas pré-implantação - PEAEE, PEATE, audiometria comportamental e demais aspectos de caracterização da perda auditiva; a categoria de percepção auditiva e de expressão oral da linguagem antes e após a implantação; além de informações socioeconômicas e da intervenção terapêutica. Resultados: O registro do PEAEE esteve presente em 34 (72,3%) crianças com limiar médio de 89,7 ± 10,2 dB NA na orelha implantada, consideradas as frequências de 0,5; 1; 2 e 4 kHz. A reavaliação foi conduzida em média 7,2 ± 2,1 meses após a cirurgia de IC, quando 23 (49%) sujeitos apresentaram avanço de uma categoria no desenvolvimento da percepção de fala e 4 (8,5%) alcançaram um desempenho dois níveis superior ao da avaliação anterior. O limiar obtido na audiometria em campo com o uso de IC teve média de 44,4 ± 12,4 dB NA, consideradas as frequências de 0,5; 1; 2 e 4 kHz. Quanto à expressão oral da linguagem, 13 (27,6%) crianças tiveram melhora em seu desempenho. Não houve correlação entre os resultados do PEAEE pré-implante e o limiar auditivo (p-valor=0,338) ou a categoria de linguagem (p-valor=0,358) com uso de IC quando controlado pela idade; nem em relação à melhora no desempenho de linguagem oral (p-valor= 0,095). Conclusão: Não houve correlação direta entre o limiar eletrofisiológico mensurado por meio do PEAEE e a resposta auditiva com uso de IC, quando analisados o limiar auditivo comportamental com IC ou a categoria de percepção de fala. / Background: The Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR) is an electrophysiological exam that allows simultaneous and binaural frequency specific testing of hearing thresholds. Considering its objectivity, the test has been recommended for hearing loss diagnosis in young children. This possibility of early identification of hearing impairment is fundamental for minimizing handicaps caused by sensory deprivation and for planning proper intervention, for example, suggesting the use of cochlear implants (CI). The determination of the success of CI prognosis depends on several cofactors. Researchers suggest that residual hearing and hearing thresholds before CI surgery could allow auditory pathways preservation and enable the development of hearing abilities, as well as speech production skills, after the reestablishment of sensory input. Objective: To verify the relation between pre-operatory ASSR and post-CI auditory response in young children. Casuistic and Method: An observational retrospective study was conducted. Medical records were assessed in 47 children, younger than six years old at the CI surgery, diagnosed with sensorineural pre-linguistic hearing loss of profound degree. Information was collected about (a) audiological data - ASSR, ABR, behavioral audiometry, and other hearing loss aspects; (b) category of speech perception and oral language production before and after CI; (c) socioeconomics data and therapy attendance. Results: ASSR record was present in 34 (72.4%) children with mean threshold of 89.7 (10.2 SD) dB HL in the implanted ear, considering the frequencies of 0.5; 1; 2 and 4 kHz. Post-implant evaluation was conducted after a mean of 7.2 (2.1 SD) months of surgery. Then, 23 (49%) subjects enhanced one category of speech perception and four (8.5%) improved two categories, compared to previous evaluation. Field auditory threshold with CI was measure at 44.4 (12.4 SD) dB HL in mean, considering the frequencies of 0.5; 1; 2 and 4 kHz. Analyzing language expression development, 13 (27.6%) children improved their performance. To the age at CI surgery there was no correlation between ASSR thresholds and CI thresholds (p-value=0.338) or speech perception category (p-value=0.358) after CI. No correlation has been found between ASSR and expressive language development (p-value=0.095). Conclusion: There was no direct correlation between electrophysiological thresholds measured by ASSR and hearing response after CI, when analyzed behavioral CI threshold or speech perception.

INTRODUÇÃO: A identificação e preservação da audição residual em candidatos a implante coclear vêm assumindo maior importância clínica. A resposta auditiva de estado estável (RAEE) pode fornecer informação frequência-específica sobre o limiar auditivo em níveis de intensidade máximos de 120 dB NA, possibilitando a investigação da audição residual. Os objetivos deste estudo são avaliar a audição residual em candidatos a implante coclear, comparando os limiares eletrofisiológicos da RAEE com os limiares psicoacústicos da audiometria nas frequências de 500, 1 000, 2 000 e 4 000 Hz. MÉTODO: Foram avaliados 40 candidatos a implante coclear (80 orelhas) com perda auditiva neurossensorial severa a profunda bilateral. A audiometria foi realizada com o tom \"warble\" nas frequências de 500, 1 000, 2 000 e 4 000 Hz com intensidade máxima de estimulação de 120 dB NA. A RAEE foi obtida através da estimulação dicótica de uma frequência de tons contínuos sinusoidais modulados 100% em amplitude exponencial e 20% em frequência, nas frequências portadoras de 500, 1 000, 2 000 e 4 000 Hz, com estimulação máxima de 117, 120, 119 e 118 dB NA, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: Foram obtidos limiares mensuráveis em 62,5% de todas as frequências estudadas na audiometria tonal e em 63,1% na RAEE. A RAEE apresentou sensibilidade de 96% e especificidade de 91,6% na detecção da audição residual. As diferenças médias entre os limiares da audiometria tonal e da RAEE não apresentaram significância estatística em nenhuma das frequências. As correlações entre os limiares comportamentais e da RAEE foram significantes em todas as frequências avaliadas, sendo fortes em 500, 1 000 e 2 000 Hz e moderada em 4 000 Hz, com coeficiente de correlação de Pearson entre 0,65 e 0,81. Em 90% dos casos, os limiares da RAEE foram adquiridos nos limites de 10 dB dos limiares comportamentais. CONCLUSÕES: As correlações entre os limiares tonais e da RAEE foram significantes nas frequências de 500, 1 000, 2 000 e 4 000 Hz. A RAEE apresentou alta sensibilidade e especificidade na detecção da audição residual em candidatos a implante coclear, em comparação com a audiometria tonal / INTRODUCTION: Identification and preservation of residual hearing in cochlear implantation are becoming more important lately. Auditory steadystate response (ASSR) can provide frequency-specific information regarding the auditory thresholds at maximum intensity levels of 120 dB HL, allowing investigation of residual hearing. The study objectives are to assess residual hearing in cochlear implant candidates by comparing the electrophysiological thresholds obtained in ASSR with psychoacoustic thresholds of audiometry at 500, 1 000, 2 000 and 4 000 Hz. METHOD: Forty cochlear implant candidates (80 ears) with bilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss were studied. Warble-tone audiometry was performed at the frequencies 500, 1 000, 2 000 e 4 000 Hz, with stimuli up to 120 dB HL. ASSR was obtained with dichotic single-frequency stimulation of sinusoidal continuous tones modulated in exponential amplitude of 100% and in frequency of 20%, at the carrier frequencies of 500, 1 000, 2 000 and 4 000 Hz at maximum stimulation levels of 117, 120, 119 and 118 dB HL, respectively. RESULTS: Thresholds were obtained in 62,5% of all frequencies evaluated in warbletone audiometry and in 63,1% in the ASSR. ASSR showed sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 91,6% in the detection of residual hearing. The mean difference between the thresholds of behavioral audiometry and ASSR were not statistically significant in any of the frequencies. Strong correlations between behavioral and ASSR thresholds were observed in 500, 1 000 and 2 000 Hz and moderate in 4 000 Hz, with Pearson correlation coefficient between 0,65 and 0,81. In 90% of the occasions, ASSR thresholds were within 10 dB of behavioral thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: The correlations between behavioral and ASSR thresholds were significant at 500, 1 000, 2 000 and 4 000 Hz. ASSR showed high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of residual hearing in cochlear implant candidates, compared to warble-tone audiometry

The aim of this study is to qualitatively point out a variation of perceptions among the including strategies in swedish sign language environments. The environments involve both preschools and special schools, because preschools are the first step of a lifelong learning process that is coherent with schools. Including involves not only being there physically in the environment but also being able to communicate via technical options and visual availability. The study is grounded on 11 semi structured interviews via telephone which are analyzed by a phenomenographic method. The respondents are preschool teachers, teachers, specialized educators, head of preschool and nannies. The method includes a pilot interview before the actual interviews to make sure that the questions are of good quality. Discussion related to swedish preschool curriculum and children's own perspective occurs throughout the study. But also an angle on the data via visual and auditory perspectives. In our study we have been able to see diversity in the respondents perceptions on including strategies. This means that there are varying direct inclusion opportunities for the children in the current environments. A diversity that may or may not be equivalent to children's individual needs. Proposals for further research is presented with alternatives for both qualitative and quantitative studies. The conclusion of the study is that strategies for inclusion are perceived differently depending on the staffs view of inclusion. With different perspectives of the concept, different including strategies are also used with children in practice and in the environment. It is advantageous in the Swedish sign language environment to access children’s own language, which includes an accessible environment that should be based on the child’s needs. A common aspect points to children’s inclusion to the extent that staff offer children inclusion. Regardless of children’s existence in the environment, children’s inclusion cannot take place unless staff are deliberately working to include all children despite requirements.

<p>Cochleaimplantat (CI) är ett tekniskt hjälpmedel som ges till personer med dövhet eller grav hörselnedsättning. Ett CI kan hos barn ge en möjlighet till ökad utveckling av kognitiva och språkliga förmågor. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka utvecklingen av kognitiva och språkliga förmågor hos barn med CI. Studien är en del av en longitudinell studie som tidigare genomförts 2007 och 2008. Deltagarna var sju barn med CI mellan 8;8 och 14;5 år. Jämförelser gjordes mellan prestationerna hos barnen med CI 2007, 2008 och 2009 samt mellan prestationerna hos barn med CI och normalhörande barn. Resultatet visade att barnen med CI hade en positiv utveckling av prestationerna i test av visuospatialt och komplext arbetsminne samt läsningens avkodningsdel. Samma tydliga positiva utveckling sågs inte av fonologiska representationer, fonologiskt arbetsminne, receptivt ordförråd samt läsförståelse. Den utplanande utvecklingen av fonologiska representationer kan vara en anledning till avsaknaden av positiv utveckling av fonologiskt arbetsminne och receptivt ordförråd.  Trots brister i fonologisk bearbetning kan barn med CI ha en positiv utveckling av läsning när det gäller avkodning. Samma tydliga positiva utveckling sågs inte av läsförståelse vilket kan bero på högre krav på arbetsminne och receptivt ordförråd. En grundlig utredning av varje barn bör göras för att upptäcka individuella styrkor och svagheter.</p> / <p>A Cochlear implant (CI) is a technical device given to individuals with severe to profound hearing impairment/deafness. CI can provide children with increased possibilities to develop cognitive and linguistic abilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of cognitive and linguistic abilities in children with CI. This study is part of a longitudinal study previously carried out in 2007 and 2008. The participants were seven children with CI between the ages of 8;8 and 14;5. Comparisons were made both between the performances of the children with CI 2007, 2008 and 2009 and between the performances of the children with CI and the reference group of children with normal hearing. The result demonstrated that the children with CI showed a positive development of visuo-spatial and complex working memory as well as the decoding part of reading. This pattern of development was not seen in tests of phonological representations, phonological working memory, receptive vocabulary and reading comprehension. The poor development of phonological representations may be related to the poor development of phonological working memory and receptive vocabulary. Despite difficulties with phonological processing a positive development of the decoding abilities was seen. This pattern of development was not seen in reading comprehension which could be due to higher demands on working memory and receptive vocabulary. A thorough assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each individual child should always be carried out.</p><p> </p><p> </p>

<p>Cochleaimplantat (CI) är ett hörselhjälpmedel som kan ge barn med grav hörselnedsättning eller dövhet möjlighet att höra och utveckla talat språk. Svenska grundskolebarn med CI har tidigare visats ha en något nedsatt prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne även om stora individuella variationer förekommer.</p><p>Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne hos svenska förskolebarn med CI. Vidare undersöktes samband mellan prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne. I studien deltog sex förskolebarn med CI och totalt 18 normalhörande kontroller, varav sex var ålders-, köns- och dialektmatchade med barnen med CI.</p><p>Barnen med CI i föreliggande studie uppvisade som grupp signifikant lägre resultat än de normalhörande barnen på test avseende prosodisk produktion på ord-, fras- och diskursnivå samt på test som undersöker fonologiskt arbetsminne. Gällande receptiv prosodisk förmåga förekom inga signifikanta skillnader. Vid jämförelse med svenska grundskolebarn med CI framkom att både yngre och äldre barn med CI har svårigheter med prosodi på samtliga nivåer. Vidare jämförelser indikerar att en utveckling av receptiv prosodisk förmåga sker under förskole- och skolåren. Korrelationsberäkningarna tyder på att det föreligger ett samband mellan prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne.</p><p>Barnen med CI i föreliggande studie är en heterogen grupp och några barn uppvisade på vissa deltest likvärdiga resultat som sina matchade kontroller, vilket visar att CI ger goda förutsättningar att utveckla prosodiska förmågor och talad kommunikation.</p> / <p>Cochlear Implant (CI) is a hearing device that can enable deaf children or children with severe hearing impairment to hear and to develop spoken language. Research has shown that Swedish school aged children with CI have poor prosodic abilities to some extent, as well as poor phonological working memory. However, there are large individual differences.</p><p>The aim of the present study was to investigate prosodic abilities and phonological working memory in Swedish preschool children with CI. Moreover, the relation between prosodic abilities and phonological working memory was examined. Six preschool children with CI participated in the study. The control group consisted of 18 children with normal hearing, out of which six children were matched for age, sex and regional dialect to the children with CI.</p><p>In the present study the children with CI as a group demonstrated significantly lower results compared to the children with normal hearing on tests concerning prosodic production abilities at word, phrase and discourse level and tests concerning phonological working memory. No significant differences emerged regarding receptive prosodic abilities. In comparison to Swedish school aged children with CI it was shown that both younger and older children with CI have difficulties at all prosodic levels. Furthermore, the comparisons indicate that receptive prosodic skills develop during preschool and school years. Results also indicate a connection between prosodic abilities and phonological working memory.</p><p>The children with CI in the present study is a heterogeneous group and a few children demonstrated equivalent results as their matched controls on some parts of the tests, which show that CI provides a good foundation for developing prosodic abilities and spoken communication.</p>

<p>Cochleaimplantat (CI) är ett tekniskt hörselhjälpmedel som används av personer med grav hörselnedsättning eller dövhet. Ett CI ger barn med medfödd dövhet möjlighet att höra och utveckla talad kommunikation. CI ersätter inte normal hörsel och det finns stora individuella variationer i språk och talfärdighet hos personer med CI. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att studera kognitiva och språkliga förmågor hos barn med CI med fokus på läsförmåga. I studien deltog 57 barn i åldrarna 7;3-10;4 år. Sju av barnen hade CI. För att besvara frågeställningarna användes utvalda delar av SIPS (Sound Information Processing System), Fonemtest, TOWRE, Ortografiska val, Ortografisk inlärning, Woodcock och Blockmönster ur WISC III. Testresultatet analyserades på grupp- och individnivå och jämfördes med resultat från en kontrollgrupp med normalhörande barn. Barnen med CI presterade som grupp i nivå med normalhörande barn på majoriteten av testen. På de fonologiska testen presterade barnen med CI lägre än normalhörande men hade generellt en avkodningsförmåga i nivå med normalhörande barn. Barn med CI i årskurs 3 hade även en läsförståelse i nivå med normalhörande medan barnen med CI i årskurs 1-2 presterade signifikant lägre än normalhörande barn. Resultaten i studien indikerar att varken sen implantation, taluppfattningsnivå eller kommunikationssätt behöver leda till sämre läsförmåga.</p> / <p>A cochlear implant (CI) is a technical hearing device used by individuals with severe to profound hearing impairment. CI can provide children with congenital hearing impairment the abilities to hear and develop speech and language outcome. CI does not replace normal hearing and there are great individual variations in language and verbal skills in persons with CI. The aim of this study was to examine the cognitive and linguistic abilities in children with CI with focus on reading ability. In the present study 57 children between the ages of 7;3-10;4 participated.  Seven of the children had CI. SIPS (Sound Information Processing System), Phonological Output, TOWRE, Orthographic Choices, Orthographic Learning , Woodcock and Block Design Test from WISC III were selected to answer the question at issue. The results were analyzed both at a group and at an individual level and were compared with results from a group with normal hearing children. Children with CI performed as a group at the level of normal hearing children on the majority of the tests. The children with CI had lower performance levels than the normal hearing children in tasks of phonological skills but they generally had a decoding ability within the normal range for hearing children. Children with CI in grade 3 also demonstrated a reading comprehension within the normal range for hearing children whereas children with CI in grade 1-2 had lower performance level than normal hearing children. The results of the present study indicate that late implantation; neither speech perception nor means of communication have to result in poorer reading ability.</p>

<p><strong><p>Children with Reading and Writing Difficulties and Their Language and Cognitive Abilities</p><p>A Comparison with Children with a Cochlear Implant</p><p>Abstract</p><p>The aim of this study was to examine the cognitive abilities that are important for reading in children with reading disabilities, children with a cochlear implantation and typically developed children. 64 children aged 10-12 years participated in the study. To answer the question at issue we used the following tests: Block Design from WISC III, PPVT III, TOWRE, SL 40 and a few chosen tests out of the SIPS battery. On tests of the lexical access children with reading disabilities performed at the same level as hearing children, while the children with a cochlear implant performed significantly lower. Test of the phonological and complex working memory showed that children with reading disabilities performed significantly higher than children with a cochlear implant, but at the same time lower than typically developed children on the test of phonological working memory. Tests of reading ability showed that children with a cochlear implant performed at the same level as typically developed children, while children with reading disabilities showed lower results. The results indicate that the children with a cochlear implant can develop an adequate reading ability in spite of their phonological difficulties. Phonological skills do not seem to be the only factor influencing reading ability of the examined groups.</p><em><p> </p></em></strong></p>

Cochleaimplantat (CI) är ett tekniskt hjälpmedel som ges till personer med dövhet eller grav hörselnedsättning. Ett CI kan hos barn ge en möjlighet till ökad utveckling av kognitiva och språkliga förmågor. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka utvecklingen av kognitiva och språkliga förmågor hos barn med CI. Studien är en del av en longitudinell studie som tidigare genomförts 2007 och 2008. Deltagarna var sju barn med CI mellan 8;8 och 14;5 år. Jämförelser gjordes mellan prestationerna hos barnen med CI 2007, 2008 och 2009 samt mellan prestationerna hos barn med CI och normalhörande barn. Resultatet visade att barnen med CI hade en positiv utveckling av prestationerna i test av visuospatialt och komplext arbetsminne samt läsningens avkodningsdel. Samma tydliga positiva utveckling sågs inte av fonologiska representationer, fonologiskt arbetsminne, receptivt ordförråd samt läsförståelse. Den utplanande utvecklingen av fonologiska representationer kan vara en anledning till avsaknaden av positiv utveckling av fonologiskt arbetsminne och receptivt ordförråd.  Trots brister i fonologisk bearbetning kan barn med CI ha en positiv utveckling av läsning när det gäller avkodning. Samma tydliga positiva utveckling sågs inte av läsförståelse vilket kan bero på högre krav på arbetsminne och receptivt ordförråd. En grundlig utredning av varje barn bör göras för att upptäcka individuella styrkor och svagheter. / A Cochlear implant (CI) is a technical device given to individuals with severe to profound hearing impairment/deafness. CI can provide children with increased possibilities to develop cognitive and linguistic abilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of cognitive and linguistic abilities in children with CI. This study is part of a longitudinal study previously carried out in 2007 and 2008. The participants were seven children with CI between the ages of 8;8 and 14;5. Comparisons were made both between the performances of the children with CI 2007, 2008 and 2009 and between the performances of the children with CI and the reference group of children with normal hearing. The result demonstrated that the children with CI showed a positive development of visuo-spatial and complex working memory as well as the decoding part of reading. This pattern of development was not seen in tests of phonological representations, phonological working memory, receptive vocabulary and reading comprehension. The poor development of phonological representations may be related to the poor development of phonological working memory and receptive vocabulary. Despite difficulties with phonological processing a positive development of the decoding abilities was seen. This pattern of development was not seen in reading comprehension which could be due to higher demands on working memory and receptive vocabulary. A thorough assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each individual child should always be carried out.

Cochleaimplantat (CI) är ett hörselhjälpmedel som kan ge barn med grav hörselnedsättning eller dövhet möjlighet att höra och utveckla talat språk. Svenska grundskolebarn med CI har tidigare visats ha en något nedsatt prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne även om stora individuella variationer förekommer. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne hos svenska förskolebarn med CI. Vidare undersöktes samband mellan prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne. I studien deltog sex förskolebarn med CI och totalt 18 normalhörande kontroller, varav sex var ålders-, köns- och dialektmatchade med barnen med CI. Barnen med CI i föreliggande studie uppvisade som grupp signifikant lägre resultat än de normalhörande barnen på test avseende prosodisk produktion på ord-, fras- och diskursnivå samt på test som undersöker fonologiskt arbetsminne. Gällande receptiv prosodisk förmåga förekom inga signifikanta skillnader. Vid jämförelse med svenska grundskolebarn med CI framkom att både yngre och äldre barn med CI har svårigheter med prosodi på samtliga nivåer. Vidare jämförelser indikerar att en utveckling av receptiv prosodisk förmåga sker under förskole- och skolåren. Korrelationsberäkningarna tyder på att det föreligger ett samband mellan prosodisk förmåga och fonologiskt arbetsminne. Barnen med CI i föreliggande studie är en heterogen grupp och några barn uppvisade på vissa deltest likvärdiga resultat som sina matchade kontroller, vilket visar att CI ger goda förutsättningar att utveckla prosodiska förmågor och talad kommunikation. / Cochlear Implant (CI) is a hearing device that can enable deaf children or children with severe hearing impairment to hear and to develop spoken language. Research has shown that Swedish school aged children with CI have poor prosodic abilities to some extent, as well as poor phonological working memory. However, there are large individual differences. The aim of the present study was to investigate prosodic abilities and phonological working memory in Swedish preschool children with CI. Moreover, the relation between prosodic abilities and phonological working memory was examined. Six preschool children with CI participated in the study. The control group consisted of 18 children with normal hearing, out of which six children were matched for age, sex and regional dialect to the children with CI. In the present study the children with CI as a group demonstrated significantly lower results compared to the children with normal hearing on tests concerning prosodic production abilities at word, phrase and discourse level and tests concerning phonological working memory. No significant differences emerged regarding receptive prosodic abilities. In comparison to Swedish school aged children with CI it was shown that both younger and older children with CI have difficulties at all prosodic levels. Furthermore, the comparisons indicate that receptive prosodic skills develop during preschool and school years. Results also indicate a connection between prosodic abilities and phonological working memory. The children with CI in the present study is a heterogeneous group and a few children demonstrated equivalent results as their matched controls on some parts of the tests, which show that CI provides a good foundation for developing prosodic abilities and spoken communication.