Kottayam: Isha Fathima has transcended the world of silence. The four-year-old girl listened to the sounds of the world for the first time on Monday. A smile bloomed on the girl’s face as the implanted cochlear was switched on in the presence of her overjoyed parents.
Fathima’s parents realised that the girl was deaf when she turned two. The couple from Thalayolaparambu have been seeking treatment for the child at the ENT department of the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Kottayam since then.
Fathima’s case is a milestone for the MCH. Hers was the first independent cochlear implant surgery conducted by the hospital. The surgery cost about Rs 4.5 lakh but the expenses were covered under the state government’s ‘Shruti Tharangam Project’.
The girl was operated upon on June 13. The cochlear was switched on on Monday. Aslam and Refeena could not resist their tears when Fathima listened to the sounds with incredulous eyes.
ENT department head Dr Shibu George led the implant. He was assisted in the complex surgery by Dr Rajeev Kumar, Dr Sushama and anaesthetist Dr Susan.
The doctors said that Fathima could start speaking after a speech therapy. Medical College principal Dr Jose Joseph and vice-principal Dr K P Jayakumar accompanied Dr Shibu to witness the moment. Dr George’s predecessor Dr Joe Jacob and audiologists Uma Rajan, Nikhil and Manu were also present.
Lend an ear
If hearing impairment is detected in a child within a year of birth, the defect could be rectified by a cochlear implant surgery. The surgery may be less efficient as the years pass.
Check if the child blinks when someone claps near their ears when she is not looking. If the child blinks, she can hear the sound.
Check if the child turns her head to the direction of a sound. If the child utters a couple of words within a year, she is assumed to be of normal growth.
Free therapy
Children below five years with hearing impairment could be helped with a cochlear implant surgery. The surgery could improve the child’s hearing and the follow-up audio-verbal rehabilitation could help her speech.
The surgery could cost up to Rs 5.5 lakh but the expenses are covered under a government scheme. The surgery does not cost anything to the parents of the child provided their family income is less than Rs 2 lakh per year.
The eligible parents could select from among the government hospitals registered under the scheme. The monetary assistance scheme is not available in private hospitals.