Kolkata, December 2, 2016: A permanently deaf four-year-old boy from Bangladesh received bilateral cochlear implants, which help provide a sense of sound to the child, at a private hospital here, a statement said on Friday.

It was the first bilateral cochlear implantation in east India, the hospital claimed.

The hospital's ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, Amitabha Roy Chowdhury conducted the critical surgery, aptly supported by high-end, technologically advanced, medical equipment of AMRI Hospitals.

"A child with bilateral cochlear implants can identify the source of sound more accurately in a noisy environment than a child with unilateral (one ear) cochlear implant.

"This is very beneficial, for example, if the child is crossing the road on the way to school. Early identification and intervention for hearing loss by six months of age provides better prognosis in language development, academic success, social integration and successful participation in the society." (IANS)