Question

Children in need of a cochlear implant to experience audition should have their implant by the age of two. Children that receive cochlear implants after the age of two are less likely to progress with auditory processing as quickly but are still able to process sounds. The ability to process auditory information (even if not as well) demonstrates a ________ ________ in auditory development.

A) Critical period
B) Sensitive period
C) Developmental sensitivities
D) Developmental plasticity

Answer 1

Children who process auditory information with a cochlear implant after age two demonstrate a sensitive period in auditory development, reflecting a more flexible time frame for development compared to a strict critical period.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ability to process auditory information, even if not as well, demonstrates a sensitive period in auditory development. A sensitive period is a time frame in which the exposure to certain experiences or stimuli can have a specific impact on development. While a critical period implies that there is a definite and comparatively narrow time during which development must occur, a sensitive period suggests a more flexible window of time during which certain types of development most effectively take place.

For children with congenital deafness or those in need of a cochlear implant, receiving a cochlear implant by the age of two is generally recommended because auditory processing capabilities are more effectively developed early in life. However, even if an implant is received after this age, children can still gain some auditory processing abilities, albeit at a potentially slower rate.