Jerip: No more kids fallen on deaf ears

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KUCHING: With the availability of means and resources, Assistant Public Health Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil hopes that Sarawakian children aged one to two years with hearing loss can be surgically installed with cochlear implant.

There is a time window for the implants to work effectively for children with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss like in the cases of Eunice Renalto and Renee Ngien highlighted by the media recently.

The earlier these disabled children get the implants, the higher the chance for them to hear sounds and learn to speak.  The best time is when the children are around one to two years old.

The next golden time window is before the children are four years old as their brain can still adapt to the implants.

After that, the effectiveness of the implants diminishes and studies have shown there is a reduced chance for the children to speak properly despite improved hearing through cochlear implants.

“The ideal is that these children may be installed the cochlear implants before the age of two. But these implants are not cheap. It costs RM70,000 for each. We have been depending on Ministry of Health and the waiting list for cochlear implants is long. And before this, we also needed to depend on Ear, Nose and Throat specialists from Kuala Lumpur.

“Due to the lack of resources and professionals, we have not been able to help our children. Now with the availability of funds and professionals such as Dr Tan Ing Ping and Dr Doris Evelyn who are both Ear, Nose and Throat specialists, we hope children with hearing loss may be able to get the implants before the age of two,” said Dr Jerip.

He said presently nine urgent cases, including Eunice and Renee, were waiting for cochlear implants.

“Now funds have already been raised for the two girls, however, there are still seven on the waiting list.

“We need to quickly process these cases so that these children can be given the same chance as Eunice and Renee.

“With the availability of the fund (raised recently), Dr Tang is now recommending another two cases to be processed by Dr Toh Teck Hock (paediatrician) who will assess the behaviour and intelligence of the two children. These two cases involve one child from Limbang and the other from Kuching,” said Dr Jerip.

Awareness of the needs of children with hearing loss was raised recently after the story of Eunice Renalto and Renee Ngien was published by the media.

Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and KTS Group managing director Dato Henry Lau had each given RM35,000 in response to the needs of the two girls who are both from low income families.

At the cheque presenting ceremony on Tuesday, apart from the cheques worth a total of RM70,000, another RM130,000 was raised.

Dr Jerip pledged RM30,000 while Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications Datuk Stephen Rundi Utom, Community Services Assistant Minister Datuk Peter Nansain Ngusie and Rural Development Assistant Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi each promised RM10,000.

Lau, who had promised to match amount pledged by the minister and assistant ministers at the event thus came up with another RM60,000.

After the event, another invited guest Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Naroden Majais, who was unable to make it to the ceremony, pledged RM10,000 through a telephone call with The Borneo Post.

With RM70,000 to be used for Eunice and Renee from the total of RM200,000 raised that day, the balance ofRM130,000 can be used to buy more cochlear implants for disabled children afflicted with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss.

Members of the public who are interested to help children with hearing loss to buy cochlear implants may contact Association of Children with Special Needs Sibu at 084-217912.