The impact of ethnicity on cochlear implantation in Norwegian children

The incidence of CI was significantly higher in children with a non-Nordic vs. a Nordic ethnicity, reflecting a higher incidence of profound deafness. Children born in Norway have equal access to CIs regardless of their ethnicity, but despite being born and receiving care in Norway, prelingually deaf children with non-Nordic parents are at risk of receiving CI later than Nordic children. Moreover, prelingually deaf children who arrive in Norway at an older age may be at risk for a worse prognosis after receiving a CI due to lack of auditory stimulation in early childhood, which is critical for language development and late implantation; this is a serious issue with regard to deafness among refugees.