Oct 30 2012
Loss of hearing may not be a life threatening condition but it can certainly affect the quality of life and hamper a child’s normal growth. Deafness identified early helps address the challenges involved in the normal development of the child, including speech, which usually gets affected. Columbia Asia Hospitals across India has been conducting Cochlear implants and BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) very successfully. The hospitals aim at providing the highest level of diagnostic, surgical and rehabilitation services.
Three-year-old, Aditi (name changed) whose hearing and speech was severely impaired since birth now responds eagerly whenever her mother calls. The chirpy tot is now picking up sounds and bits of speech like any normal child of her age. This was made possible after a team of doctors from Columbia Asia Hospitals, led by Dr. Shomeshwar Singh, Consultant ENT & Cochlear Implant surgeon conducted a successful Cochlear Implant Surgery on Aditi's right ear.
In the surgery that lasted for over three hours, the doctors successfully managed to position the implant and the electrodes inside the inner ear. Explaining her pre-surgery complication, Dr. Shomeshwar said, "Aditi's hearing ability was very minimal in both ears, due to which she could not follow sounds. Consequent to this, her speech was not developing at all. Aditi was unable to function like other children with normal hearing and had to depend primarily on sign language."
Three weeks after the surgery, when the healing process was complete, the Cochlear implant was switched on. This gave the child a new lease of life and the opportunity for normalcy.
Source: Columbia Asia Hospitals Pvt. Ltd.