Development trends of online-based aural rehabilitation programs for children with cochlear implant coping with the fourth industrial revolution and implication in speech-language pathology

Abstract

The Korea Research Foundation selected the miniaturization and development of home care devices as the future promising technologies in the biotechnology (BT) area along with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Accordingly, it is believed that there will be innovative changes in the rehabilitation field, including the development of smart diagnostics and treatment devices. Moreover, rehabilitation equipped with individualization, precision, miniaturization, portability, and accessibility is expected to draw attention. It has been continuously reported in the past decade that hearing-impaired toddlers who became able to hear speech through cochlear implantation and hearing rehabilitation before the age of 3, which is a critical period of language development, show a language development pattern similar to that of healthy toddlers. As a result, the need for developing language rehabilitation programs customized for patients wearing artificial cochlea has emerged. In other words, since the improved hearing ability owing to cochlear implant does not guarantee to promote speech perception and language development, intensive rehabilitation and education are needed for patients to recognize the heard speech as a meaningful language for communication. Nevertheless, a literature search on domestic and foreign cases revealed that there are insufficient language rehabilitation programs for cochlear implant patients as well as customized programs for them in the clinical coalface. This study examined the trend and marketability of online-based aural rehabilitation programs for patients wearing artificial cochlea and described the implications for language rehabilitation. This study suggested the following implications for developing a customized aural rehabilitation program. It is needed to secure and develop contents that can implement "a hand-held hospital" by using medical devices and mobile devices owned by consumers that transcend time and space. Also, it is necessary to develop a cochlear implant hearing rehabilitation training program suitable for native Korean speakers.