Table 14:

Preverbal Communication Skills—Children

Author, Year	Test Measures	UCI, mean %	BCI, mean %	P Value
Tait et al, 201096	Tait video analysisa
	Vocal turnsb,c	Pre-UCI: 16.4	Pre-BCI: 20.9	NS
		12 months: 61.5	12 months: 89.0	< .001
	Vocal autonomyd	Pre-UCI: 6.6	Pre-BCI: 4.6	NS
		12 months: 37.8	12 months: 42.3	NS
	Non-looking vocal turnsb,c	Pre-UCI: 0.5	Pre-BCI: 0	NS
		12 months: 37.8	12 months: 42.3	< .001
	Gestural turnsb,e	Pre-UCI: 53	Pre-BCI: 59.6	NS
		12 months: 27.3	12 months: 9.2	< .001
	Gestural autonomyd	Pre-UCI: 23.1	Pre-BCI: 8.4	<.001
		12 months: 13.4	12 months: 1.9

Abbreviations: BCI, bilateral cochlear implantation; NS, not significant; UCI, unilateral cochlear implantation.

^aTait video analysis is an objective observational method that involves looking at video recordings of children's’ interactions with someone they know well (e.g., a parent or carer). The video recordings can show whether children are becoming more vocal in their communications rather than using silent gestures, and whether there are indications that they are responding to the adults’ speech through hearing rather than vision.¹⁰⁰

^bTurns refer to instances in which the child has an opportunity to communicate. Opportunities occur when the adult has left a pause or where the child interrupts the adult's communication.¹⁰⁰

^cVocal turns occur where the child has used their voice to communicate, with or without the addition of signs, gestures, or facial expressions.¹⁰⁰

^dUse of autonomy refers to turns in which the child communicates something that cannot be directly predicted from the adult's preceding turn. For example, a child may push away a toy that is offered and point to another toy. This would be classified as gestural autonomy if done silently or as vocal autonomy if vocalization was also used.¹⁰⁰

^eGestural turns occur when signs, gestures, or facial expressions are used without vocalization. Eye contact is considered gestural communication.¹⁰⁰