Graeme Clark Collection

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    The progress of children using the multichannel cochlear implant in Melbourne
    Cowan, R. S. C. ; Dowell, R. C. ; Hollow, R. ; Dettman, S. J. ; Rance, G. ; Barker, E. J. ; Sarant, J. Z. ; Galvin, K. L. ; Webb, R. C. ; Pyman, B. C. ; Cousins, V. C. ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 1995)
    Multi-channel cochlear implantation in children began in Australia in 1985 and there are now close to 4000 profoundly deaf children and adolescents using the Australian implant system around the world. The aim of the implant procedure is to provide adequate hearing for speech and language development through auditory input. This contrasts with the situation for adults with acquired deafness where the cochlear implant aims to restore hearing for someone with well-developed auditory processing and language skills. As with adults, results vary over a wide range for children using the Multi-channel implant. Many factors have been suggested that may contribute to differences in speech perception for implanted children. In an attempt to better understand these factors, the speech perception results for children implanted in Melbourne were reviewed and subjected to statistical analysis. This has indicated that the amount of experience with the implant and the length of sensory deprivation are strongly correlated with perceptual results. This means that younger children are likely to perform better with an implant and that a number of years of experience are required for children to reach their full potential. The results have also indicated that educational placement and management play a crucial role in children reaching their potential. Overall, 60% of the children and adolescents in the study have reached a level of open-set speech understanding using the cochlear implant without lipreading.
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    Cochlear implants in children: the value of cochleostomy seals in the prevention of labyrinthitis following pneumococcal otitis media
    Dahm, M. C. ; Webb, R. L. ; Clark, Graeme M. ; Franz, B. K-H. ; Shepherd, R. K. ; Burton, M. J. ; ROBINS-BROWNE, R. ( 1995)
    Cochlea implantation at an early age is important in rehabilitating profoundly hearing impaired children. Given the incidence of pneumococcal otitis media in young children, there has been concern that cochlear implantation could increase the possibility of otitis media, leading to labyrinthitis in this age group. Clinical experience has not indicated an increase in the frequency of otitis media and labyrinthitis in implanted adults or children over two years. However, labyrinthitis has occurred in implanted animals with otitis media. In order to assess the impact of cochlear implants on the occurrence of labyrinthitis, pneumococcal otitis media was induced in 21 kittens. Thirty-two kitten cochleas were implanted, of which 9 had a fascial graft and 9 a Gelfoam® graft. Nine control cochleas were unimplanted. Labyrinthitis occurred in 44% of unimplanted controls. 50% of implanted ungrafted cochleas, and 6% of implanted grafted cochleas. There was no statistically significant difference between the incidence of labyrinthitis in the implanted cochleas and the unimplanted controls. However there was a statistically significant difference between the ungrafted and grafted cochleas, but not between the two types of graft.