In this review article, we first retrospectively analyze sales data from all three major CI companies and 11 countries over a seven-year period, representing the majority of global pediatric cochlear implantations. The data demonstrate that cochlear implantation in hearing-impaired infants is primarily performed during the second year of life, with no significant change in proportion over the 7 years.
Subsequently, we link the development of the auditory system to the development of motor skills and multimodal representations. We emphasize the significance of the motor system and other sensory systems in child‘s development, arguing for the instrumental role of active exploraiton and sensorimotor contingencies in establishing an appropriate neural representation of the physical world. Based on 200 cited articles, we summarize the developmental milestones of auditory and communication development from the multimodal perspective and document that most milestones are taken within the first 9 months of life.
We therefore advocate for providing effective access to sound within the first 9 months also in children who require cochlear implants.
