The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Cochlear implant offers hope in treating deafness in children

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 10, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Cochlear implant offers hope in treating deafness in children

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Department of ENT at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) has initiated a Cochlear Implant programme. A team of ENT surgeons and audiologists will carry out the programme for early identification and treatment of young deaf children.

A seminar on the subject will be held at the hospital on Sunday for the public and professionals concerned regarding the surgery. Parents of infants and children under the age of 10 years with profound hearing loss can attend the seminar.

An electronic device implanted in the inner ear by surgery helps a deaf child to hear sounds, which will help develop speech. Experts opine that this will be particularly beneficial in infants in the age of six months to one year, as it is during this time they develop speech.

The implant, an electronic device, costs in the range of Rs.4.5 lakhs to Rs.10 lakhs. However, the difference is due to different trademarks available, says R.Indudharan, ENT surgeon, AIMS.

Only 0.75 per cent of the deserving have benefited so far because of the high cost of the implant. Amrita Hospital, which has taken up the project, will be conducting the surgery at a reasonable cost, he adds.

There is no registration fee. Those who wish to take part in the seminar can contact the ENT Department at the hospital.

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