Telangana government includes cochlear implant surgery in health scheme for kids under 3 years

The number of cochlear implant surgeries are increasing in the state of Telangana due to congenital deafness.

This is due to consanguineous marriages, using over-the-counter medicines during pregnancy, stress, hypertension and lastly genetic disorders. But many parents are not aware of cochlear implant surgery and do not consult doctors, say experts.

To help them, the Telangana government has included the cochlear implant surgery in the Aarogyasri scheme for children below three years age. After doing the response audiometry (BERA) test, audiologists will perform implant surgery, if the hearing loss is total. The children will be given training in auditory-verbal therapy for six months before the surgery. After surgery, the children will be given training once again for a year.

Experts say that the success rate of cochlear implant surgeries was 98%. With regular antenatal check-ups, the problem can be detected at the foetus stage. Facilities to identify deafness among children have also been put in place in area hospitals.

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