摘要
BACKGROUND： The relationship between hearing impairment and verbal developmental deficits in infants has become a hotspot in research, focusing on improving hearing and promoting verbal development. However, language is only one element of cognition. There are other elements of non-verbal cognitive deficits in infants with hearing impairment. OBJECTIVE： This study was designed to compare the differences in gross motor, fine motor, adaptability, and behavioral development between infants with severe hearing impairment and ordinary children of the same age. DESIGN： Case-control observation. SETTING： Department of Otolaryngology-Head Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital. PARTICIPANTS： Fifty-two infants with hearing impairment, who received treatment in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital from February to December 2007, were confirmed to suffer from severe （or extremely severe） sensorineural deafness by auditory brain-stem response （ABR） and were recruited for this study. The infants comprised 30 males and 22 females. Among them, 18 were aged 0-1 year, 18 were aged 1-2 years, and 16 were aged 2-3 years. An additional 60 individuals, aged 0-3 years, who received developmental monitoring simultaneously, and were confirmed to have normal hearing and verbal ability, were included as controls. Among the control subjects, there were 31 males and 29 females： 20 were 〈 1 year of age, 22 were between 1-2 years of age, and 18 were between 2-3 years of age. Informed consent for laboratory measurements was obtained from each infant＇s guardian, and the study was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee. METHODS： Infant gross motor, fine motor, adaptability, and behavioral development were assessed in the hearing impairment and control infants. Comparison results were expressed as grading standards of development quotient. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Developmental quotient of all subjects was determined using ＂psychometric test battery for 0-6 year-old infants＂, revised by Capital Institute of Pediatrics. Developmental quotient of each factor ≥ 130 points and 〈 69 points was defined as excellent and mentally disabled, respectively. RESULTS： All determination results were included in the final analysis. There was no significant difference in each factor between hearing-impaired and control infants, who were 1-year-old （P 〉 0.05）. The behavioral developmental quotient was significantly less in hearing-impaired infants compared to control infants, who were between 1 and 2 years of age （P 〈 0.05）. The development quotients of fine motor and behavioral development were significantly less in hearing-impaired infants than in control infants, who were 2 3 years of age （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Compared to control infants, severe hearing-impaired infants have a lower behavioral developmental quotient after 1 year and a lower fine motor developmental quotient after 2 years of age.
BACKGROUND： The relationship between hearing impairment and verbal developmental deficits in infants has become a hotspot in research, focusing on improving hearing and promoting verbal development. However, language is only one element of cognition. There are other elements of non-verbal cognitive deficits in infants with hearing impairment. OBJECTIVE： This study was designed to compare the differences in gross motor, fine motor, adaptability, and behavioral development between infants with severe hearing impairment and ordinary children of the same age. DESIGN： Case-control observation. SETTING： Department of Otolaryngology-Head Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital. PARTICIPANTS： Fifty-two infants with hearing impairment, who received treatment in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital from February to December 2007, were confirmed to suffer from severe （or extremely severe） sensorineural deafness by auditory brain-stem response （ABR） and were recruited for this study. The infants comprised 30 males and 22 females. Among them, 18 were aged 0-1 year, 18 were aged 1-2 years, and 16 were aged 2-3 years. An additional 60 individuals, aged 0-3 years, who received developmental monitoring simultaneously, and were confirmed to have normal hearing and verbal ability, were included as controls. Among the control subjects, there were 31 males and 29 females： 20 were 〈 1 year of age, 22 were between 1-2 years of age, and 18 were between 2-3 years of age. Informed consent for laboratory measurements was obtained from each infant＇s guardian, and the study was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee. METHODS： Infant gross motor, fine motor, adaptability, and behavioral development were assessed in the hearing impairment and control infants. Comparison results were expressed as grading standards of development quotient. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Developmental quotient of all subjects was determined using ＂psychometric test battery for 0-6 year-old infants＂, revised by Capital Institute of Pediatrics. Developmental quotient of each factor ≥ 130 points and 〈 69 points was defined as excellent and mentally disabled, respectively. RESULTS： All determination results were included in the final analysis. There was no significant difference in each factor between hearing-impaired and control infants, who were 1-year-old （P 〉 0.05）. The behavioral developmental quotient was significantly less in hearing-impaired infants compared to control infants, who were between 1 and 2 years of age （P 〈 0.05）. The development quotients of fine motor and behavioral development were significantly less in hearing-impaired infants than in control infants, who were 2 3 years of age （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Compared to control infants, severe hearing-impaired infants have a lower behavioral developmental quotient after 1 year and a lower fine motor developmental quotient after 2 years of age.
