SRINAGAR, August 5, 2025: In a Srinagar hospital, amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a four-year-old boy experienced the transformative moment of hearing sound for the first time, thanks to a cochlear implant surgery. This milestone marked the beginning of a long journey filled with intensive therapy, unwavering sibling support, and daily hope for his family.The boy, diagnosed with profound hearing loss at birth, underwent the life-changing procedure at a critical time when the pandemic strained healthcare systems.
Despite lockdowns and restricted hospital access, the medical team at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar successfully performed the surgery, enabling the child to perceive sound. “The moment he responded to my voice, it felt like a miracle,” his mother recalled, her eyes welling with emotion. “But we knew this was just the start.”What followed was years of dedicated speech and language therapy to help the child interpret and produce sounds. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists worked closely with the family, conducting sessions both in-person and online to navigate pandemic-related restrictions.
“The therapy was intensive, sometimes overwhelming, but his progress kept us going,” his father said. The family’s efforts were bolstered by the boy’s siblings, who played a crucial role in his development. His elder sister, aged seven, would spend hours reading to him, helping him associate sounds with words, while his younger brother mimicked sounds to encourage communication.The journey was not without challenges. The pandemic disrupted regular therapy schedules, and financial strains weighed heavily on the family, who relied on government schemes like the Early Hearing and Detection Intervention (EHDI) programme for support.
The high cost of cochlear implant maintenance, estimated at ₹6 lakh every few years, posed a constant worry. Yet, community support and the family’s resilience kept hope alive. “Every small word he spoke was a victory,” said his mother, highlighting the daily milestones that fueled their perseverance.Dr. Faisal Guru, an ENT specialist at SKIMS, emphasized the importance of early intervention.
“Cochlear implants can be transformative, but therapy and family support are critical for success,” he noted. The boy’s progress, from recognizing his name to forming simple sentences, underscores the power of medical innovation combined with familial dedication.
This story reflects broader challenges faced by families in India, where access to audiology and speech therapy remains limited, with only 5,000 trained speech-language pathologists and audiologists for 50 million people in need. Despite these hurdles, the family’s journey embodies hope, resilience, and the transformative impact of medical care and sibling bonds in overcoming adversity.
