At Sarvodaya Hospital, Sec 8, Faridabad we successfully performed cochlear implant surgery on a five-month-old infant, making him the youngest recipient of a cochlear implant in India. The child was diagnosed with congenital hearing impairment, a condition that affects 4 to 6 per 1,000 newborns in India. Since many infants do not undergo hearing screenings at birth, the actual numbers may be even higher.
The baby was brought to our ENT and Cochlear Implant Centre at 4.5 months when his family noticed he was not responding to everyday sounds. Given the father’s history of congenital hearing loss, their concerns grew. Initial screenings at a local clinic revealed profound hearing loss in both ears. At Sarvodaya Hospital, we conducted a series of advanced diagnostic tests, including tympanometry, oto-acoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response, CT, and MRI scans, which confirmed the diagnosis.
Under the leadership of Dr. Ravi Bhatia, Director of ENT and Cochlear Implants, our expert team performed the cochlear implant surgery, successfully placing a small electronic hearing device in the infant’s ear. Now, at 10 months old, the child is leading a normal, healthy life. This case highlights the importance of early screening and intervention, which significantly improves treatment outcomes for children with severe hearing loss.
Dr. Bhatia emphasizes that while cochlear implants can be done at any age, early intervention is key to ensuring proper speech development and auditory interaction. The treatment typically costs 8-10 lakhs, but through government schemes and NGO partnerships, underprivileged children can receive free treatment.
Our Chief Audiologist, Raja Suman, and a dedicated team of audiologists, auditory-verbal therapists, and speech-language pathologists continue to monitor the child’s progress, ensuring steady improvements in hearing, speech, and language development.
At Sarvodaya Hospital, we remain committed to providing cutting-edge treatments and transforming lives through advanced medical care.
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