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HEARING
CENTER
Diagnosed at 1 year,
profoundly deaf
From the time Barrett was a newborn,
his parents and older siblings cooed and talked lovingly to him,
eagerly awaiting the day he would surprise them with the gift of his
first words. But when Barrett was a little over a year old and still
had not begun to speak, a hearing test revealed he was profoundly
deaf.
Barrett’s parents, Pam and Darryl, were
surprised by the news, but they were encouraged when Dr. Spiros Manolidis
of Texas Children’s
Hearing
Center mentioned a cochlear implant.
“It was hard news to take at first, and
we resolved to help Barrett the best way we could,” says Pam. “When
Dr. Manolidis suggested we consider cochlear implants for Barrett, I
jumped at the idea.”
Now he actively speaks and
interacts -- giving and accepting the gift of communication – thanks
to this innovative procedure.
Cochlear implants,
which enhance hearing in 80 percent of deaf patients, involve the
surgical implantation of an electronic device in the inner ear. A
microphone and headpiece, similar in size to a conventional hearing
aid, is worn outside the ear. Although the implant does not
instantly restore hearing, it provides auditory information to the
child that – with patience, practice and reinforcement by a support
network of trained staff, teachers and family members – he or she
can learn to translate into language.
Texas Children’s Hearing Center has
been implanting the devices in children as young as 12 months since
1999. Its success is due to its team approach to evaluating
candidates with the greatest potential for success and its long-term
relationships with children and families.
Barett's family knew the implant would
mean a sizeable time commitment – an hour of work at home each day,
frequent auditory-verbal therapy, two-and-a-half hour trips to
Houston from their home in Sheridan each week for therapy and
examinations, an intensive day-care environment. But they were up to
the challenge, and when they learned Barrett had been accepted for
implantation they were elated.
“We were so excited and hopeful,” says
Pam. “We couldn’t wait for Barrett to start hearing and
communicating with us.”
Immediately after the surgery, their
commitment began to pay dividends. For the first time since his
birth two years earlier, Barrett was able to hear and make sounds.
The surgery opened a whole new world
for Barrett. The picture of health, he is obsessed with playing ball
and navigating his toy lawnmower. He is a quick learner who knows
his animals and letters and is happy playing computer games.
His communication skills have some
catching up to do, but his therapists predict he will soon reach an
age-appropriate level of speech development. He is well on his way
to reaching Pam’s goal of mainstream kindergarten.
“Barrett’s challenges have strengthened
us as a family,” says Pam. “The specialists at Texas Children’s have
shown a great deal of genuine concern for Barrett. The hospital has
been and continues to be a huge source of help to us, almost like
having an extended family in Houston.”
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