This is first and one of the best Center for re/habilitating children and adults with Cochlear Implant in India. This unique center was established in 2000, since then this had been the referral and training center for many teachers across the globe. Very active center with annual patient load of 150 and total number of therapy session per year around 14,500. The quality control of the center is monitored by experts from USA and Europe.
Auditory habilitation refers to the plan to improve the communication with younger children who have not yet attained spoken language following hearing loss. Rehabilitation focuses on restoring a skill of listening which was not acquired due to hearing loss. In children the skills may not be there so it has to be taught, hence it is called habilitation.

• Finding a way for your child to communicate
• Learning Speech and language
• Learning to listen to different sounds
• Training on how to take care of hearing aids and other amplification devices

The goal of auditory rehabilitation clinic at MERF– ISH is not only to focus on child rehabilitation but also rehabilitation for adolescents and adults both prelingual and post lingual.

The services are provided by specially trained and skilled auditory habiltationist who are trained under different domains to treat children, adolescents and adults and those children with complex needs who have undergone

MERF ISH is the first center to establish satellite auditory habilitation center in India to cater to children across the state of Tamil Nadu. MERF ISH & MERF has developed a sustainable and successful model of re/habilitation for the developing nations; this model is well appreciated by experts all over the world and attracted invitation to present in many international meetings, forums and recently in WHO. Satellite centers across Tamil Nadu are located in Coimbatore, Tiruchirapally, Madurai and also Tirunelveli, which also have experienced habilitationist’s who provide firsthand habilitation service.

All the clients are assessed by a speech-language pathologist and auditory habilitationist in one to one sessions and all consultation are done on appointment basis.

MERF Institute of Speech and Hearing (P) Ltd. is rendering services for individuals with speech and language difficulties. The Speech and Language clinic offers speech-language pathology services for all ages with communication difficulties. We work throughout the week from Monday to Saturday for 8.30 am to 8.00 pm. The clinic provides diagnostics and therapeutic services for these individuals. During the initial visit an in depth speech and language assessment is carried out. Once the diagnostic assessment is completed, patient will be enrolled for therapeutic program on appointment basis. We are equipped with the most advanced state of art testing equipment and sophisticated software to provide customized treatment to every patient. We offer individual and group speech and language therapy.

• Child language clinic
• Voice care clinic
• Fluency enhancement clinic
• Neuro clinic
• Swallowing clinic

The goal of auditory rehabilitation clinic at MERF– ISH is not only to focus on child rehabilitation but also rehabilitation for adolescents and adults both prelingual and post lingual.

The services are provided by specially trained and skilled auditory habiltationist who are trained under different domains to treat children, adolescents and adults and those children with complex needs who have undergone

MERF ISH is the first center to establish satellite auditory habilitation center in India to cater to children across the state of Tamil Nadu. MERF ISH & MERF has developed a sustainable and successful model of re/habilitation for the developing nations; this model is well appreciated by experts all over the world and attracted invitation to present in many international meetings, forums and recently in WHO. Satellite centers across Tamil Nadu are located in Coimbatore, Tiruchirapally, Madurai and also Tirunelveli, which also have experienced habilitationist’s who provide firsthand habilitation service.

All the clients are assessed by a speech-language pathologist and auditory habilitationist in one to one sessions and all consultation are done on appointment basis.

Cochlear Implant:
Cochlear Implant (CI) is a bio-electronic device implanted in the inner ear to restore hearing in children and adult with permanent hearing loss of various degrees. CI is recommended only for patients who do get adequate functional benefit from conventional hearing aids.
MERF and MERF ISH are forerunner in this treatment since 1997. MERF ISH has revolutionized the CI treatment in India and SAARC Countries. Prof.Mohan Kameswaran and Prof.Ranjith Rajeswaran has developed the center as one of the most sophisticated with “state of the art” infra-structure with the latest cutting edge technology and impeccable serve to the patients. The Model of MERF & MERF ISH is been adopted in any developing countries.One of the biggest and busiest Cochlear Implant clinic with at least 250 to 300 cochlear implants every year. It has the best facilities to manage and treat the most challenging with cochlear implants. MERF & MERF ISH is the first to develop a comprehensive CI center, the protocols and procedures developed in this clinic are very unique and customized to the needs of the patient and their disorders., this was possible with experience, precision in clinical care, protocols developed based on evidences & research , ethics and extending the boundaries in hearing health care. MERF & MERF ISH has been the trend setter in hearing restoration in this part of the world. The mission is “Hearing for All”- creating a society free of deafness.

MERF & MERF ISH are the first to perform hearing preservation surgery with Cochlear Implant.

• Bilateral Severe to Profound Hearing Loss
• Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder
• Single Sided Deafness
• Bilateral Assymmetric Hearing Loss
• Hearing Preservation Technique for Ski sloping hearing loss.

Auditory Brainstem Implant:
ABI is the most advanced sophisticated and challenging procedure in hearing restoration. The TEAM is the most experienced team in the world. On an average almost 5 to 7 children undergo ABI in MERF & MERF ISH per year, making us the third biggest ABI clinic in the world. We have patients from all over the world undergoing ABI since this is the only center in Asia with best outcomes. The Government of Tamil Nadu under the “The Chief Minister Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme” approved MERF & MERF ISH for performing ABI.

Professionals and students from all over the world visit MERF & MERF ISH to learn the procedure, since MERF ISH is the only teaching institution with ABI clinic, the students of MERF ISH are well exposed & experienced with this procedure, making them one of the sought after professionals in the country.

Implantable Bone Conduction Hearing Devices (IBCHD):
Bone Conduction hearing devices are implanted in children and adults with atresia of external ear/ear canal, Single Sided Deafness and active middle ear diseases were conventional hearing aids cannot be used. We have a large series of patients with IBCHD. MERF & MERF ISH has very unique protocols to assess these patients and optimize hearing for these individuals.

Totally Implantable Hearing Device:
MERF & MERF ISH are the first to try the Totally Implantable Hearing Device in adults with permanent hearing loss.

The child language clinic at MERF-ISH is dedicated exclusively to the diagnosis and treatment of child language disorders. The goal of child language clinic is to understand and delineate various child language disorders and its associated conditions. The clinic also aims to provide early intervention and to improve the child’s communication skills with the help of qualified and skilled clinicians.
The clinic has sophisticated and child friendly cubicles and materials which will help the children to improve their communication skills.

• Early identification
• Early intervention
• Parent training
• Home training

The voice care clinic is dedicated exclusively to the diagnosis and treatment of laryngeal and voice disorders. The goal of the voice care clinic is to understand and improve its quality and care.
The voice evaluation typically includes comprehensive perceptual and acoustic evaluation using state of the art voice analyzing software (Computerized speech Lab, PRAAT, Dr. Speech) Treatment options are tailored to the individual patient needs to correct vocal misuse and overuse behaviors. Services are available across different age groups.

• Voice evaluation
• Voice therapy
• Counseling on vocal hygiene tips
• Voice care for professional voice users (Singers, teachers, etc.)
• Voice awareness campaigns/programs

The neuro clinic provide dedicated services for the assessment and management of various congenital and acquired neurological communication disorders which includes cerebral palsy, childhood Apraxia of speech, adult language disorders, motor speech disorders and dysphagia. The services are provided with the help of well trained speech language pathologist with the use of highly sophiscated materials like Western Aphasia Battery, Frenchey Dysarthria Assessment, Manipal Manual of Cognitive Linguistic Assessment, Manipal Manual Of Swallowing Assessment, Minimental State Examination, Quick Neurological Screening test

• In depth assessment and diagnosis of various neuro communication disorders.
• Early intervention for various neuro communication disorder.
• Caretaker training.
• Home training

The fluency enhancement clinic provides services for individuals (children and adult) with fluency disorders such as stuttering, cluttering, neurogenic and psychogenic stuttering. These disorders are assessed and diagnosed using standardized test materials (SSI, SPI, OASES, CALMS rating scale, etc). Subsequent therapy protocols are framed based upon the client’s diagnosis.

• Fluency evaluation
• Fluency therapy
• Counseling
• Stuttering self-support group
• Stuttering awareness

MERF & MERF ISH have a very active Community Medicine Department were at least 300 children and adults are screened, diagnosed and treated with all types ENT diseases and communication disorders. Students have the opportunity to visit villages, were no health awareness and facilities are available. The students are accompanied by professionals, were they learn the methods of screening and managing patients were the facilities are very minimal. As the part of the visit they also do awareness program to the people in the village.
As a result we have restored hearing for more than 1500 children living in villages, were there is no medical facilities are available. Now these children have their normal hearing, age matched speech and language skills and leading a normal life. All most all the kids are in normal school, few older children are in universities performing their higher educations. Some of our children who received CI in early years are working Government sector, Private sector, Multi-National Companies And few have them have their own establishment.

The Vestibular system is one of the integral systems which helps in the maintenance of balance in the three dimensional space. There are various peripheral and central disorders of the vestibular system that leads to various symptoms like imbalance, vertigo and dizziness. Dizziness is a symptom that can vary from mild unsteadiness to a severe whirling sensation accompanied by nausea and vomiting.  The treatment of dizziness depends on its cause(s) and may consist of medicine, surgery, counseling, and/or rehabilitative measures. After the diagnosis is made, patients are managed with a wide variety of medical, surgical, and/or rehabilitative treatments. The clinic is headed by Dr SathyaMurali and a team of doctors and skilled audiologists perform the tests. The goal of the vestibular / balance clinic at MERF is to work with the family, primary health care provider, other professionals and also with the patient to improve their quality of life and help them to return to their maximum level of activity. The vestibular / balance clinic consists of the state of the art facility for appropriate diagnosis and management of these conditions. The vestibular test battery carried out here consists of the subjective tests and objective tests. The procedures carried out include Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP), Videonystomography (VNG), Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and caloric testing.Patients are diagnosed and treated effectively in the most cost-efficient manner possible.The test results are also compared with the other audiological findings to give a holistic treatment to the patient.