Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) performed Cochlear Implant Surgery of two more profoundly deaf children at Dow University Hospital Ojha Campus. This was the second of a series of implants surgeries that has been planned by Dow University to help people unable to afford expensive cochlear implants for their children. The previous two surgeries were performed in December 2012.
The surgeries performed free-of-charge on 2 year old Rayyan and 3.5 year old Hamza Arif. Both of the children belonged to poor families whose parents could not afford to pay for the expensive treatment.
Prof. M. Umer Farooq and his team after performing the Cochlear Implant Surgery sharing their views on the occasion informed that these two children were shortlisted to undergo the surgeries after various tests and assessments performed by experts. The surgeries were successful and went very smoothly. Moreover the children who are successfully operated upon are necessarily required to undergo speech therapy for quite some time.
Around 250 children suffering from similar conditions are registered with the DUHS for surgery. He said that the major consideration for the implant was the child’s chances of restoration and the parents’ economic status as the resourceful could manage to pay for the expenses.
He further revealed that Cochlear Implant Surgery was a complicated procedure in which electronic hearing devices were placed in the ears of people with hearing impairment. These implants provide hearing abilities to some extent. Children upto the age of five otherwise too hold comparatively better chances of success among them. He added that all deaf children could, however, not be considered fit for the procedure. It consists of external and internal parts: the internal parts are placed surgically in the bone behind the ear and in the inner ear. The external part looks like a hearing aid and can be detached at any time. It was better to operate on children under the age of five to ensure better results. The chances of the procedure working for children over the age of 10 were relatively slim. Meanwhile, cochlear implant surgery could be performed on adults as well in cases of partial hearing loss due to illness or trauma.
Being an expensive treatment, it is difficult to continue it without the support of the government and other organisations.