Global and functional performance of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder using cochlear implants

Abstract

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined as a developmental disorder that reaches areas of social interaction, language and cognition. There is a proven incidence of hearing impaired individuals diagnosed with ASD. What is very common to occur in cases of ASD associated with hearing loss is that the diagnosis of one condition may mask and delay the diagnosis of the other condition. In this way, it is very important to identify the most appropriate tool to evaluate the results of oral language development in relation to its various aspects in this population. In view of the above, this study aims at the performance of children using cochlear implants diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in terms of auditory perception of speech, language, communicative abilities, communicative behavior, functional abilities and overall development, and to compare the performance of these children to the performance of children using cochlear implants without other associated deficiencies in the cited skills. The study will be performed in the Cochlear Implant Section - Center for Audiological Research of the Hospital of Craniofacial Anomalies of the University of São Paulo in the city of Bauru (Section IC-CPA/HRAC/USP). The audiological data and the variables to be studied and correlated will be: audiometry with cochlear implants, Speech detection threshold with cochlear implant, MUSS - Meaningful Use of Speech scales and classification for expressive language categories. During the evaluation, the following instruments will be used: Child language test in the areas of Phonology, vocabulary, fluency and pragmatics - ABFW and Image Vocabulary Test Peabody: Spanish-American adaptation, MacArthur Communicative Skills Development Inventory - First Words of Gestures , Observation of Communicative Behavior (OCC), Pediatric Disability Assessment Inventory (PEDI), Denver Development Screening Test II - DDST II and Childhood Autism Rating Scale. (AU)