https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-earlier-access-cochlear-implants-children.html1
Children with severe hearing loss may benefit from cochlear implants at younger ages and under broader eligibility criteria than previously recognized, according to a multicenter study led by researchers at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. The findings were published online in August in The Laryngoscope. The study is published in The Laryngoscope journal.
The evidence from this study formed the basis for the recent expanded indications for cochlear implants. This change increases access for infants as young as 7 months old and for children whose hearing aids do not provide enough benefit.
The study was led by Dr. Nancy M. Young, founder and medical director of the Cochlear Implant Program at Lurie Children's, and included children from centers across the United States. Researchers evaluated outcomes following cochlear implantation in infants younger than 12 months old and in children with more residual hearing whose hearing aids did not allow them to hear the essential sounds in spoken language.
The results showed that most children experienced meaningful improvements in hearing and listening skills within a year after receiving a cochlear implant. More than 80% of children in the prospective study group and 88% in the retrospective group met the study's success measures. Positive outcomes were seen in both babies younger than 12 months old and children with residual hearing.
Researchers also found that cochlear implantation was safe in these groups of children. Infants who received implants before their first birthday did not experience complications at a higher rate than older children, providing additional evidence that earlier intervention can be performed safely.
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