"Two Ears Are Better Than One," says Mihika on Going Bilateral

Mihika’s birth was a highly awaited event in our small family. Our prayers finally got answered on the 14th of March, 2014, when Mihika was born with a small white patch on her forehead and beautiful blue eyes. Little did we know that these were the symptoms of Waardenburg Syndrome, the genetic condition responsible for my daughter’s hearing loss.

We started noticing her peculiar lack of responsiveness when she was barely four months old. Infants react when they are spoken to, or when they hear sudden loud noises like barking dogs or blaring horns. She did neither of those things. Worried, we got her checked for the first time when she was just 6 months old. In a state of disbelief, we chose to have another Auditory Brainstem Response (BERA) Test, at Kota. The doctors assured us that she is way too young and that there must have been some mistake. He asked us to come back when she turned 1.

Well, six months later, the doctor finally confirmed a profound hearing impairment in Mihika. The audiologist we were consulting at Kota gave us two options- either to opt for a cochlear implant or give hearing aids a try. She was just one and we were too afraid to put her through surgery. So, we chose hearing aids.

Hearing aids were not much of a help in Mihika’s case. We pushed her to use them but it only exasperated her in every way. I’ll share what I learned: Do not invest in them if your hearing loss ranges anywhere from severe to profound. You’ll just be wasting your money.

I did not want her to feel inferior due to her inability or miss out on any significant experiences. Before she developed that sense, it had become necessary for us to find a permanent solution to uproot the problem and provide her with the best. We ditched the backward technology and started reading about the cochlear implant success stories to motivate ourselves and overcome the prevalent inhibitions. It became our unrivaled last resort.

We broke the bank and headed for a unilateral Cochlear Implant, picking up every pice we had mustered. On March 9th, 2016, my husband and I paced around holding our breaths, until the doctor finally assured us that the surgery was carried out successfully. She could finally hear!

Our doctor asked us to opt for ‘Harmony by Advanced Bionics’. The best one at that time, from the most trusted brand when it comes to cochlear implant systems.

The next step was to find a good therapist who’d help my daughter adapt to all these changes which have just occurred in her life. For that, I moved to Jaipur with my mother-in-law. We spent 7 months here. To stay closer to us, my husband took a transfer from our hometown in Madhya Pradesh to Kota.

We were of course unhappy about our family getting scattered in this way, but Mihika’s progress kept us going. I still remember the curious face she made while listening to me, trying to comprehend what I was saying. Even though it was one baby step at a time, it meant the world to me. In no time, she had started speaking. Initially, it was simple babbling…then simple words. Soon she was speaking little phrases independently. Every day brought us a new high.

Mihika was getting accustomed to her father’s absence in her life. We did not want that either. Hence, we moved to Kota sometime in January 2018. Kota doesn’t have an advanced center like the one in Jaipur. It was a small clinic, only partially equipped to provide these therapies. For one year, the progress graph was almost flat. At this point, wasting any time was regrettable. On top of it, Mihika has ankyloglossia. We were in dire need of a miracle.

Contemplating our case, our Habilitationist in Jaipur, Mrs. Rita Piplani of Asha Kiran Speech and Language Habilitation Center endorsed bilateral cochlear implantation. We started our financial planning again. I didn’t want to compromise on quality but the cochlear implant systems which I had shortlisted were way too expensive.

We were in luck as only a few days later, we found about Advanced Bionics’ special offer. They had introduced Dual Processor Naida CI Q90 at that very time. Now, who would miss this chance, right? Advanced Bionics always outshines others, in terms of hearing performance. It was a great chance for us to upgrade Mihika’s older implant as well.

So, we went back to Dr. Deepak Dalmiya’s at Mumbai for Mihika’s surgery. This time, we weren’t afraid of what might happen. We were certain that she would come out of this with two ears instead of one. We sat out there, all confident and positive.

Post the surgery, we recommenced her therapy in Jaipur again, at Asha Kiran Speech and Language Habilitation Center.

Two is always better than one. She definitely listens clearly now. Comprehension of her speech is smooth for the listener. She has been attending a regular school for three years now, and I have never sensed any discomfort in her. In fact, her confidence and self-reliant attitude are commendable. Her teachers tell me that she’s always the chirpiest one in groups.

She is always after my cellphone…sometimes to talk, sometimes to access YouTube. We have established strict TV hours at home to keep her away from the television.

To all the people who read this, I’d like to say, “if you are still in doubt about getting your child a cochlear implant, take my word and go for it. Invest early for brighter results. The child would adapt sooner and accept the implant as an organ. That’s really important!

Every new model that is launched, comes about with more advancement, better sound quality, and an array of attractive features. Mihika’s Naida CI Q90 has a Binaural Voice Stream Technology, in which both her processors work simultaneously, to make both her ears hear alike.

Go for it! Give them a happier life. Watch them reach their potential and shine!”