Researchers develop low-cost child deafness screening device

Every year, close to 100,000 children with varying degrees of hearing
defects are born in India. If detected early, a majority of them can recover
from these defects. But most hospitals don't do the test, because the existing
diagnostic technology is prohibitively expensive.

19.07.2017

Biomedical engineers from Bengaluru have developed a new and inexpensive medical device to screen hearing defects of the babies so that doctors can take necessary corrective measures at the earliest.

Every year, close to 100,000 children with varying degrees of hearing defects are born in India. If detected early, a majority of them can recover from these defects. But most hospitals don't do the test, because the existing diagnostic technology is prohibitively expensive.

This is where a young team of researchers chipped in. With support from the Department of Biotechnology, Stanford University and Union Health Ministry, they developed and perfected a hearing screening device with high sensitivity and specificity for mass screening of newborns.

Sohum is a low-cost and unique device, which uses its unique algorithm to analyse brain signals that trigger auditory responses, the gold standard in auditory testing to check for hearing response in a new born.

“Testing with our device would cost the parents anywhere between Rs 600 and 1,200. In contrast, a few private hospitals offer the tests at a price of Rs 4,000 for every test. They also need to create a sound-proof room for the test whereas our tests can be conducted in field conditions,” Nitin Sisodia, Stanford India Biodesign fellow and founder of Sohum Innovation Lab, Bengaluru, who developed the instrument, told DH.

While imported devices cost anywhere between Rs 12 and 18 lakh, the indigenous instrument costs one-third of that price. With the scale-up, the price is expected to come down further.
Sohum Lab has produced 12 devices that are being used by a few hospitals in and around Bengaluru including Narayana Hrudayalaya, Vani Vilas Hospital and All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru. The company has a leasing model for a group of hospitals to lease these machines rather than buying them and an order is expected from the Tripura government.

“We want many such machines that can offer diagnosis at an affordable price. Once detected early, most hearing defects can be corrected in a majority of these children,” Y S Chowdary, the Minister of State for Science and Technology said after launching the instrument.

Globally, 800,000 hearing impaired babies are born every year, of whom nearly 100,000 are in India. Most of them are preventable damage that needs early screening.

“Pre-term babies and sick babies in NICU (neo-natal intensive care unit) need the test at the time of their discharge. If the hearing impairment is discovered at the 4+ age of a child, it is too late to reverse the damage,” said Rakesh Lodha, paediatrician at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, who mentored the project.