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July 22, 2007
Cochlear Implants Bring The Gift Of Sound
Thursday was a life-changing day for Austinites Cory and Kade Walters, two young boys who share what doctors call profound deafness. Parents Christy and K.C. Walters located doctors in Austin who could give their sons the gift of sound.
Doctors gave Kade a cochlear implant when he was 9 months old and at 3, he's getting his second implant activated. His little brother, Cory, had his implant operation a week ago and will hear for the first time Thursday.
"You ready to go give Cory an ear?" says Christy.
"Yeah," says Kade.
"Let's go give him an ear!" says Christy.
Audiologist Sara Morton makes adjustments to Cory's device.
"Is this your ear? Is this for you?" says the tech as she sends signals through the implant.
The device on the outside of Cory's ear has a microphone to capture sound, and it sends it through a cord to a device that magnetically attaches to an implant on the back of Cory's head.
The implant sends sound, and then it's time to test it out.
"Cory has his ear, Kade, say, 'Hi,'" Christy says.
The reaction is less than joyful as the first experience with sound is unsettling.
Kade's second implant will improve his hearing, giving him the ability to tell which direction sound is coming from, but his reaction is similar to his brother's.
"If there was any way that we could magically make that side sound like this side right away, then it wouldn't be such an issue," said Morton. "But, because it does sound different, that ear has to adjust."
Cochlear implants can give the gift of sound but cost around $30,000 to $40,000.
http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=6815707&nav=0s3d
Posted by 4HL on July 22, 2007 7:49 AM
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