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Are There Ways To Restore Hearing During Infancy?

Posted on Sat, 17 Jan 2015

Question: My sister' s baby girl who is now 11 months old.we are suspecting she might be having issue in hearing and speaking. Till this time she can't speak 'amma' ( mother) and not turning her attention when any sound made.kindly quide us in this issue. We consulted nearby ENT Specialist and he confirmed 100 % hearing loss in her both ears.kindly guide us if any possibilities for hearing.

Thanks and Regards
XXXX
0000

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Cochlear implants are a possibility

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

I am sorry to hear about the child. But there is indeed much that can be done. Cochlear implant is a device that artificially simulates the electrical signals that are produced as a result of the sound and thereby can give a good hearing scope to such patients.

Of course, the eligibility criteria have to be determined with a pure tone audiometry and then you can proceed accordingly. This has to be backed up by proper speech therapy. In most cases it can give excellent output. The earlier the intervention, better is the outcome. An age between 6 months to 3 years gives the best window.

Please note that cochlear implants are expensive. You need to get in touch with some centre with setup for developmental pediatrics or speech and language support along with ENT specialists who work in this area.

With proper intervention, the child can return to mainstream and lead a practically normal life.

Hope that helps. Wishing for the best possible outcome.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (1 hour later)

Dear sir,

Thank you for the information. Can you suggest any such hospitals / Doctors in tamilnadu state particularly in XXXXXXX or in XXXXXXX district.also how much the cost will be and any hospitals doing this operations free off cost.kindly share the information.

Thanks and Regards
XXXX
0000

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Visit the nearest State Medical College

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
XXXXXXX has a Cochlear implant program for its residents. I am not aware that other states have a program like that. You need to visit the pediatrics department of the nearest State Medical College and discuss about this. I have doubts whether the implant is available for free in your state. The implant procedure could be free in government hospitals if available.

Hope that helps.

Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T