“The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing.”

Jehan Dabboo from Mumbai was born with hearing impairment in both the ears. Any form of impairment in any of the senses can slow down the growth and development of a child. As a result of this, Jehan too had a very difficult childhood. He was unable to mingle with other children of his age. Due to hearing impairment, Jehan suffered from severe lack of confidence and a very low morale. He was totally dependent on his near and dear ones for hearing support.

The story would have been grim had it continued in this manner. However, something happened in Jehan’s life that completely turned the tables for him.

Jehan’s mother came to know about Cochlear implants. With the help of the Cochlear India team, at the age of 6, Jehan received his first cochlear implant for one of his ears. The immediate results were astonishing and positive. Jehan’s learning curve went exponentially upwards. For the first time in his life, young Jehan was able to listen.

Jehan is now 20 years old. At the age of 16, he went for a second implant and was fortunate enough to start hearing from both ears. Jehan is now a National level badminton player for India and has represented India internationally as well. The astounding effects of Cochlear implants are clear to see. Hear about the implants and Cochlear Celebration from Jehan himself in this video.

Yes, hearing loss and impairment affects around 360 million people across the world. Out of this, 9% or 32 million of those are children. Up to 5 of every 1000 infants are born with or develop disabling hearing loss in early childhood. The impacts of hearing loss can be far reaching such as functional and economic impact. The biggest of these is the social and emotional impact on such children.

This is what brings us to the moot point of our discussion – early intervention in hearing.

This video shows us all that we need to know about hearing.

Early Intervention

Early intervention in the development of hearing is of key importance in the growth of a child.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), unaddressed hearing loss poses a high cost for the economy globally to the tune of $750 billion annually.

Consequences due to hearing loss

If a child grows up with a hearing impairment problem, it can lead to many disorders and affect the child’s mental and psychological health. Some of them are as follows:

Delayed language development
Academic underachievement
Social isolation
Higher risk of injuries
Increased poverty in later stages of life

The more we delay intervention in the treatment, the harder it becomes to restore the hearing. Just imagine restoring the power to hear in a child of age one vis-à-vis in a child aged 10. The child who is given the right treatment at the right time develops faster and is able to cope up in life much better.

New technology from Cochlear India

The parents need to be addressed and informed about the various methods available for the restoration of hearing in their child. Cochlear India is making strides in this field by conducting regular information sessions for parents with such children. Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing. Thirty years after successfully launching the world’s first multi-channel Cochlear implant, their commitment to innovation and providing hearing remains unchanged. They have pioneered removable magnets, SmartSound iQ with SCAN and dual microphones. Kanso® (meaning simplicity) is the latest example of Cochlear’s innovation in action. Kanso® is an off-the-ear hearing solution that’s so discreet it’s barely noticeable, so small and comfortable that you can forget you’re wearing it.

Here’s a video to explain the working of Kanso®

This infographic from WHO explains the consequences of not addressing hearing loss and the strategies for prevention and care.

All of us should collectively take a pledge to ensure that our children are not left to live their lives in misery. Give them the gift of hearing so that their lives change forever. In the words of Helen Keller,