Max Hospital Saket – Cochlear implant helps Srinagar toddler with congenital hearing loss, gain hearing ability
Srinagar, 25th, March 2022: Doctors at Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket performed cochlear implant surgery on a 1.5-year-old baby with congenital hearing loss to help him have normal hearing and speech. While the baby (Master Tashif) was born with a congenital hearing deformity, his parents came to know of the condition only when the baby turned 1.5 years of age and showed signs of delay in speech development.
Master Tashif, was initially given a hearing aid but since it did not help a child with speech development, the parents then consulted an audiologist in Srinagar. Post evaluation, the child was advised to undergo cochlear implant surgery. He was admitted to Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket for the same. The surgery went very well and the child was discharged the next day.
“Cochlear implant surgery is a boon for infants with hearing loss since birth and for those who have lost hearing ability due to infection or trauma and are not benefiting with hearing aids. Over the past several years, advancements have been made in cochlear implant technology and surgery, resulting in benefits and improved services for patients of hearing loss. A cochlear implant is a great solution for all the kids who are born deaf and excellent results in terms of language and speech development can be achieved. The earlier medical intervention by a specialist, the better is the outcome,” Said Dr. Sumit Mrig, Principal Consultant and Head- ENT Department, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi
Cochlear implant surgery can be performed on a child as young as 9 months of age.
The child (Master Tashif) post the surgery and rehabilitation is now able to express his needs verbally using words, phrases, simple sentences and reciting rhymes. His parents who had earlier lost hope that the child would not be able to speak, listen or understand, are not happy and thankful to doctors at Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket.
Cochlear implant devices are medical devices that work by picking up sound signals & transmit them via an external processor through the skin via a magnet to an inner receiver-stimulator which through fine electrodes generate electrical stimulus which stimulates the cochlear nerve & it is perceived in the brain as sound. This allows sound to skip the damaged cells in the cochlea and go directly to the brain. Hearing loss can occur in children more often at a very young age, even right after their birth due to a common bacterial infection called meningitis. All newborns should be screened at birth for hearing loss and those who fail the screening test should undergo a confirmatory test by the age of 3-6 months. If a hearing loss is detected, a hearing aid trial should be given and Cochlear implant surgery should be planned at the earliest if no benefit is noted with hearing aids.
“In recent years a lot of research and development in the field has ensured that a wide variety of patients with different needs are able to benefit from implant devices. With advanced technology and specialised doctors available, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket is aligned to provide much better services.” Added Dr Mrig.
Very few centres in Delhi NCR undertake the cochlear implant procedure, and Max smart super speciality Hospital backed by its latest infrastructure, expertise and advanced technology available have been taking up such procedures on regular basis. We at Max Healthcare are a leader in the cochlear implant program in Delhi NCR.