Child regains hearing after 18 months due to revolutionary treatment
03 Mar 2026

In a remarkable medical feat, a five-year-old boy has regained his hearing 18 months after losing it due to meningitis in his early childhood.

The child is the first to receive an auditory brain stem implant at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The complex surgery was performed when doctors found that conventional cochlear implants could not repair the damage to his auditory nerves.

A look at the procedure
Surgery

The auditory brain stem implant is a complicated procedure that bypasses the damaged nerve and directly stimulates the hearing centers in the brain.

The device was activated nearly 18 months ago, and with continuous speech therapy, the child has started recognizing environmental sounds and making clearer speech.

His progress has been described as steady and encouraging by doctors at AIIMS.

Families often delay seeking help
Public awareness

On the eve of World Hearing Day, Professor Rakesh Kumar, head of ENT department at AIIMS, along with his team emphasized that hearing loss is a hidden disability.

He said families often delay seeking help due to myths about delayed speech development in children.

In reality, babies start babbling simple sounds like "mama" or "dada" by five to six months.

AIIMS screening every baby born there since 2021
Preventive measures

AIIMS has been screening every baby born there since 2021 with tests like ABR, also known as BERA.

If a baby fails the first screening, it is done again within 24 hours. Confirmatory testing is done within the first month if needed.

Doctors stressed that not all hearing loss requires major surgery and simple causes such as earwax or infections are common in children and treatable.