Abu Dhabi: An Emirati father whose three children are hearing impaired is urging other parents to break their silence and give voice to the issue of hearing disability.
“There is nothing to hide. We don’t need to be ashamed if our children have hearing problems,” said Hadil, a government sector employee who does not want to reveal his family name.
Hadil’s three children – Amina, 13, Reem, 8, and Salah, 3 – were all born deaf but have now been fitted with cochlear implants.
“This is the best decision I have taken for my kids. Now they are like any normal kid out there,” he said.
Speaking to XPRESS, he said he was saddened by the fact that many parents are either sceptical or ignorant about the implant. “They are either not aware of the benefits of cochlear implants or they don’t want to talk about it. I will tell every parent with a deaf child that the only alternative to implant is deafness,” said Hadil.
His eldest daughter was fitted with a cochlear implant at the age of four, while Reem and Salah got their implants before they turned one.
The father said his children are all leading normal lives after the operation. “Amina is a bright student and an avid swimmer. She wants to be a doctor and treat children with deafness,” said Hadil.
Arab mother E.K., whose 18-month-old son got an implant last month, said their lives changed from that moment. “His hearng was activated just last month and I could not hold back my tears when I sensed that he heard me for the first time. Now he can hear me say, ‘I love you, baby’,” said the mother.
Speaking about her personal experience as a cochlear implant user, a 16-year-old Indian girl said she does not even remember being deaf.
“I love my cochlear implants. I can hear my teachers at school, talk to my friends and go to parties.”
But medical experts say getting an implant is just one step towards beating deafness.
“Some parents expect results immediately after the surgery. The best result requires patience, motivation and commitment from parents and speech therapists to train children to use the implants,” said a specialist who asked not to be named. Integration of hearing impaired people into society through constant support and encouragement is equally important. Awareness is the key, say health experts.
David Raetz, CEO, MED-EL Middle East, a leading supplier of hearing aids, said during their recent survey it was found that 95 per cent of the respondents do not consider hearing impairment as a major health issue.
“There is a negative perception surrounding hearing impairment, and this shouldn’t be the case,” said Raetz.
