Glendonald Auditory Screening Procedure (GASP): marcadores clínicos de desenvolvimento das habilidades de reconhecimento e compreensão auditiva em crianças usuárias de implante coclear.

PURPOSE: To verify the influence of the age of implantation in the development of closed-set auditory recognition and auditory comprehension abilities in children using unilateral cochlear implants (CI), comparing distinct groups and determining clinical markers. METHODS: Participants were 180 children operated and activated until 36 months of age and who used a CI for at least 60 months. Abilities of auditory recognition in closed-set and auditory comprehension were analyzed through the GASP Tests 5 and 6. The influence of age of implantation was investigated with three groups of children: implanted before 18 months (G1), between 19 and 24 months (G2) and between 25 and 36 months of age (G3). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference when comparing the three groups. Children progressively developed auditory abilities, presenting auditory recognition ability together at approximately 41±4 months of CI use and auditory comprehension at 53±4 months. CONCLUSAO: Nao houve correlacao entre o desempenho auditivo e a idade de implantacao para as criancas implantadas antes dos 36 meses de idade. Para as habilidades de reconhecimento e compreensao auditivas, o marcador clinico foi aos 41±4 e aos 53±4 meses de idade auditiva, respectivamente. Para tanto, espera-se que, por volta dos 60 meses de uso do IC, as criancas implantadas durante o periodo sensivel possam compreender a fala sem o auxilio da leitura orofacial, alcancando as habilidades auditivas mais complexas.