Osman and his family with members from Sidra.
Sidra Medical and Research Center (Sidra) recently launched a new hearing aid programme to help provide the gift of sound for hearing impaired children in Qatar. Paediatric patients will be referred to the Audiology Clinic at Sidra from the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and other referral sources.
The programmes offer services such as identification, assessment and rehabilitation of hearing disorders in children, utilisation of comprehensive behavioural and electrophysiological measures to determine type, degree and severity of hearing loss, management of the selection, fitting, and dispensing of hearing devices. The services also include audiologic rehabilitation through a comprehensive programme of assessment services, amplification devices, counselling, and other hearing management strategies, access to surgical implantable hearing aid technology and follow up and ongoing monitoring.
Dr Nel Govender, Manager of Audiology and Interim Manager of Speech Language Therapy, at Sidra said, “Hearing is essential to childhood learning and language development. The sooner hearing loss is identified and effectively managed, the sooner verbal communication development for the child can begin.”
While, Sidra, in collaboration with Cochlear Middle East, recently demonstrated a new milestone with a life changing moment for a young patient born with Treacher Collins Syndrome. The child, Osman, was able to hear conversational speech and quiet sounds for the first time — giving him a renewed chance towards improving his learning and developmental skills to be in line with other children his age.
Treacher Collins syndrome is a rare, inherited condition that stunts the growth of the bones and other tissues of the face, resulting in underdeveloped cheekbones and jawbones. Most children also have underdeveloped ear canals and abnormally shaped ears which contributes to hearing loss. The condition affects approximately one in 10,000 births worldwide.
Osman’s treatment and care relies on a multidisciplinary approach involving the support and expertise of a number of different healthcare teams across Sidra — including audiology, ENT, plastics craniofacial and child life development. He was first referred to Dr Patrick Sheehan, Sidra’s Division Chief of Paediatric Otolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery. Dr Sheehan said, “Osman’s condition meant that he was unable to hear properly as he had a 60 decibel moderate to severe hearing loss. A conventional behind-the-ear hearing aid would not have been effective. He needed a proven solution that has successfully helped children who are born with the same condition. In his case, it was a Baha 5 sound processor fitted with the Softband which is manufactured by Cochlear.”
Osman was Sidra’s first audiology patient to be fitted with the Baha Softband device. The Cochlear Baha System with Baha Softband can be used by those with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss and single-sided deafness. He will require regular follow up and care until he is physically ready for surgery and further monitoring.
