Characterization of the symbolic and communicative skills of children with a cochlear implant

摘要

To characterize the development of symbolic and communicative skills of children with a cochlear implant. Method: descriptive study conducted on 30 children of both genders wearing a multichannel cochlear implant. Data were collected by video recording and analyzed using an adapted Behavioral Observation Protocol. Results: 8% of the children did not show symbolic conducts; 79% of the children used objects in a conventional manner, presented symbolic schemes, and used partners or dolls when playing. Of the verbal communicative skills, 27% were of the interpretable type, 29% of the intelligible type, and 4% unintelligible. In 40% of the children this function was not detected. Regarding contextualization, 90% are at the immediate and concrete level of language, predominantly non-verbal. Verbal comprehension was detected in all children. Conclusion: Associations were observed between the development of the established behaviors and the time of hearing deprivation and as a function of time of use of the implant.