Idlib, Sept. 8 (SANA) Children who underwent cochlear implant surgeries at al-Noor Hospital in Babisqa village in northwestern Idlib countryside have begun a new stage toward hearing and communication, following the activation and calibration of their external devices.
The procedures, provided free of charge with support from the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) since August 14, mark the start of a months-long rehabilitation process in which children learn to recognize sounds, associate them with words and gradually develop speech and communication skills.
15 cochlear implant surgeries
Dr. Hamza al-Sayed Hassan, an ear surgery and cochlear implantation specialist at SAMS, told SANA that the organization’s medical team had performed 15 cochlear implant surgeries in recent weeks for children with severe to profound hearing disabilities.
He said activation and calibration of the external device is a crucial stage following surgery, with each device adjusted according to the child’s hearing level before auditory and speech rehabilitation begins.
The rehabilitation program continues for several months to help children understand the sounds they hear and eventually turn them into words, a process al-Sayed Hassan said requires significant involvement from families.
He added that SAMS plans to continue performing surgeries on a monthly basis and take on additional cases, calling on families of children with hearing impairments in Idlib to register at SAMS centers or al-Noor Hospital for treatment.
A long-awaited moment for families
For Ali Ibrahim, whose son Ward traveled from Salamiyah city in Hama province for treatment, hearing his name for the first time was a moment the family had waited years to experience.
Ibrahim said the family had struggled with the high cost of the device, surgery and treatment before Ward underwent the procedure free of charge at al-Noor Hospital. The child will continue auditory rehabilitation in Hama to help him communicate with his family and peers.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rabih, father of Ghina and Adnan from Beit Sawa village in Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus, described a similar experience. SAMS performed successful procedures for both children, who are due to continue rehabilitation in the coming days.
Specialized care for children with hearing disabilities
The initiative is part of SAMS’ efforts to support healthcare services in northwestern Syria and expand access to specialized treatment for children with hearing disabilities.
Cochlear implants are an advanced treatment option for children with severe to profound hearing disabilities who receive insufficient benefit from conventional hearing aids. Treatment involves surgery followed by activation and calibration of the external device and intensive auditory and speech rehabilitation.
SAMS is a nonprofit humanitarian medical organization founded in 1998 by Syrian-American physicians. It provides healthcare, medical education and surgical services in Syria and neighboring countries.
R.A/ABD
