EFFECT OF A UDITORY-VERBAL REHABILITATION ON VOICE PARAMETERS IN CHILD COCHLEAR IMPLANT USERS

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of auditory-verbal rehabilitation on voice parameters after implantation with cochlear implants 2 and 5 months after rehabilitation and compare them with normal voice children (under 12 years of age). A perceptive and electroacoustic evaluation of voice was carried out through a digital analysis after implantation and rehabilitation. The study was performed at Khorasan Cochlear Implant Center in Ghaem Hospital, Mashad University of Medical Sciences in Mashhad. There were 5 prelingually deaf children and 5 children with normal voice and hearing. Voice parameters (average pitch and intensity, perturbation, jitter and shimmer), were obtained. All patients showed better control of voice pitch and intensity and a considerable reduction of voice perturbation, jitter and shimmer after auditory rehabilitation. This study showed no considerable difference on voice parameters between cochlear implanted children and normal children (voice and hearing). ft could be concluded that auditory-verbal rehabilitation as a necessary and important training program for cochlear implanted children provides a recognizable moment-to-moment auditory control on parameters of voice