(Photo/Zhong Chongshan)

Jiangsu’s program to help children with hearing impairment has benefited many in need.

A 2-year-old child called Xiaoyu in Xuzhou City’s Tongshan District has recently taken the cochlear implant at Gulou Hospital in Nanjing City. Parents of the child said aural rehabilitation is making smooth progress.

The provincial program adopts a four-pronged approach to help children with hearing loss.

In May this year, the province’s Health Commission and Disabled Persons' Federation organized free hearing check for newborns, followed by assistance to those at a higher risk of hearing loss and free cochlear implants to those eligible.

Shu Yiping, head of the commission’s Women and Children Office, said the province has made efforts to improve public awareness of deaf and hearing loss in line with the guideline over birth defect prevention and treatment.

Jiangsu has also identified 15 hearing impairment test centers for newborns amid efforts to regulate and standardize diagnosis and treatment services.

Meanwhile, the province’s Office of the Cochlear Implant and Rehabilitation Program has helped children to find the suitable hearing aids free of charge. For those with severe hearing loss, efforts are then made to provide surgically implanted electronic devices.

In addition, Jiangsu has designated professionals to keep an eye on infants and children with hearing loss.

To date, 166 children in Jiangsu have applied for free cochlear implants and 55 surgeries were performed to implant medical device.