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MED-EL Middle East
Clinical Support Department
MED-EL Middle East Clinical Support Department offers a comprehensive rehabilitation program for the cochlear implanted children over a course of multiple sessions.
Our linguistic goals are defined in several aspects of rehabilitation based on positive communication with the child and upgrading his ability while achieving a higher level of attention.
1
Auditory Rehabilitation
The progression in the auditory rehabilitation level is carried out until training at the advanced levels of auditory perception, auditory memory and understanding.
2
The Language
Identification and naming of some implicit groups through stories that include simple events and training on the linguistic concepts involved.
3
Cognitive Aspects
Training the child to acquire cognitive skills equal and matching with his chronological age.
Online Hearing Test
Test your child's hearing now with one of our easy-to-use online hearing tests.
Speech Language Therapy
Speech and language are the most important communication skills we develop in the first years of our lives.
However, not all children achieve their age-specific speech milestones! Our highly qualified speech therapy team will assess your child’s situation in order to help them reach their ultimate potential.
Our speech and language services include the assessment and treatment of:
- Speech assessment before cochlear implant surgery
- Speech rehabilitation specific programs for cochlear implanted patients
- Speech & language problems related to hearing loss
- Speech & language problems in special needs children
- Articulation, receptive and expressive language disorders
Audiology
Our audiology experts provide professional support for any concerns you may have regarding hearing disorders, tinnitus, balance, and hearing loss.
When testing children, Clinical Support Department prides itself on being one of the few in the UAE with a team of audiologists specialized in pediatric testing. The team of audiologists work together with every child, to ensure that all age-appropriate tests are conducted in a manner that is accurate and comfortable for the child and their family.
We are proud to offer the latest technologies and advancements in the field of audiology, following international AUD guidelines, and performing the following services in our clinic:
- Fitting and mapping of cochlear implants and other implantable devices
- Auditory Rehabilitation
- Central auditory processing disorders (CAPD)
- Audiometry, Tympanometry, OAE, ABR and ASSR
Our Professional Team
We believe a successful hearing restoration with hearing implants is a whole team afford. To get the best results can only be achieved by highly trained and experienced professionals in the fields of medicine, surgery, audiology, speech and language therapy. MED-EL Clinical Support team is a highly trained and multi- disciplinary team that will help facilitate all the steps needed for a successful hearing journey.
Dr. Hala Ahmed Ali
Medical Director of Clinical Support Department
Medical Consultant of MED-EL ME
Audio-Vestibular Medicine Specialist – Dubai Healthcare City
Dr Hala obtained her MBBCh degree in Medicine and General Surgery then her Master’s Degree in Audio – Vestibular Medicine, Both from the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. She holds a diploma in Total Quality Management (TQM) in Healthcare from the American University in Cairo (AUC) since the year 2006.
Dr.Hala’s clinical experience extends to more than 20 years of Hearing & Vestibular Medicine practice in Egypt and UAE. She was a consultant and Head of Audio Vestibular Medicine Department in many Military, Police and Private Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt.
In UAE, she has worked as an Audio – Vestibular Medicine Specialist in the American Hospital Dubai for more than 3 years.
Dr.Hala was a Medical Consultant for many international companies for hearing solution devices in Egypt and the Middle East.
Through her professional career, Dr Hala was a volunteered consultant in many Civil Society and Charity Organizations in Egypt like Misr AlKheir Foundation, Orman Charity Association, Resala Charity Organization and others. She provided free medical and rehabilitative services to hundreds of patients of all age groups.
Dr.Hala was honoured twice by the Egyptian Medical Syndicate for both excellence and establishing the first Audio-Vestibular Meicine unit in MOH hospitals.
Dr.Hala is a member of both American Academy of Audiology (AAA) and Egyptian Audio-Vestibular Medicine Association (EAVMA).
She is fluent in both Arabic and English.
Sneha Thakkar
Audiologist (Allied)
Speech & Language Pathologist (Allied)
Dubai Healthcare City
Mrs Sneha holds a dual Master’s degree in audiology and speech-language pathology from Mumbai University, India. She holds the license to practice by rehabilitation council of India.
Ms Thakkar has vast experience in performing audiology tests as well as assessments and therapy for various speech and language disorders.
Mrs Sneha is highly experienced in performing all the basic, advanced and Electrophysiological hearing tests.
Throughout her career, Ms Thakkar has been an integral part of evaluating candidates for cochlear implantation and then programming post-implantation, using different assessment methods.
She has been working with various hearing aid companies and experienced in hearing aid fitting according to patient needs (children & adults).
Ms Thakkar has worked with Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD) assessments as well as intervention.
She is MED-EL Accredited auditory verbal therapist (AVT) and specializes in therapy for hearing impaired children using hearing aids or cochlear implants.
In her previous roles, Ms Thakkar had a special interest in raising awareness of the significance of early hearing issues detection, and subsequently was an active member of the new born hearing screening program in many Indian hospitals.
She has held various positions at as an Audiologist at Happy Kids Clinic, Oman, Armed forces hospital, Oman. She had an international patient base and has excellent patient retention and patient satisfaction. Driven by her belief in an inquisitive professional approach, Ms Thakkar holds many certificates from several cochlear implant and hearing device academies.
Ms Thakkar also developed many theses and research papers on Cochlear implantation in children with unilateral hearing loss, EROC (2017), phonological awareness in normal children, voice problems and dysarthria.
Mrs Sneha is fluent in English and Hindi.
Enas Mohammed Hajeir
Speech & Language Pathologist (Allied)
Dubai Healthcare City
Mrs. Enas earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Audiology and Speech - Language Pathology from Jordan University of Science & Technology in 2007. She got her postgraduate training at King Hussain Medical Centre. Then, she got the Jordanian working license in the same year.
She came to Dubai after her graduation and worked in Government Special Education Centre for people of determination from 2007 to 2012, where she provided her services for children with Hearing loss aged from 3 to 14 years. She provided rehabilitation also to patients with other disabilities and syndromes.
She looked for different experience and got her DHA license to join Kalimati Communication & Rehabilitation Centre from 2012 to 2014 where she worked in evaluation and rehabilitation of children at early age who suffer from different communication and language difficulties.
Between 2016 and 2019, Mrs. Enas worked with other well-known Speech & Language therapy centres in Dubai such as Advance Hearing & Balance Centre, Al Moosa Day Surgery Centre and others.
Mrs. Enas experience includes evaluation, treatment and intervention of various communication, speech & language disorders as:
- Assessment and evaluation of children using formal standardized speech and language assessments including PLS-5, CELF, DEAP, GFTA, TOCS.
- Early intervention of children with language disorders including children complaining of Autism spectrum disorder, Down Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other syndromes.
- Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) for children with hearing loss who are using cochlear implants, other implantable devices and hearing aids.
- Speech and language therapy for children with articulation and phonological processing disorders, Apraxia and fluency disorders
Mrs. Enas provides training, counselling and support for families to implement therapy strategies at home and during daily life activities.
She is a Hanen (It Takes Two to Talk) certified trainer, certified lidcombe program trainer and PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) and Makaton trained.
She attended a lot of trainings and conferences and participated in organizing the first and second international conference to spread awareness for hearing loss "Hear My Voice".
Mrs. Enas presented at schools and nurseries to educate parents and teachers about bilingualism, tips to develop your child's vocabularies and other topics. She also provided individual therapy sessions at nurseries.
Mrs. Enas is a bilingual Speech & Language Pathologist; she provides therapy sessions in both English and Arabic.
