Multielectrode cochlear implantation in children: the Quebec experience.

The Quebec Cochlear Implant Research Program has implanted three children since August 1987. This paper reports the results obtained with these children. All of them improved their auditory abilities with cochlear implantation and training. However, the abilities which spontaneously recovered following implantation, the speed of improvement, and the overall level of performance are different from one child to the other. Our data suggest that the age at onset of hearing loss, and possibly the number of years of deafness, may be related to the differences in performance.