Author Topic: 3 yr old boy hears for first time  (Read 3252 times)

Patti UT

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3 yr old boy hears for first time
« on: June 23, 2013, 07:19:11 pm »
I saw the tail end of a news story a couple days ago about a 3 year old boy who had been born without hearing nerves. He underwent some kind of surgery and is hearing for the first time.  Did anyone else see this or hear (no pun intended  :P) anything about this.  This could be huge news for thoes of us who lost a hearing nerve with tumor removal.... scouring the internet trying to find something.
2cm Rt side  middle fossa  at University of Utah 9/29/04.
rt side deafness, dry eye, no taste, balance & congintive issues, headaches galore
7/9/09 diganosed with recurrent AN. Translab Jan 13 2010  Happy New Year

CHD63

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Re: 3 yr old boy hears for first time
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2013, 02:32:16 am »
Hi Patti .....

I did not read this article, but my best guess is that this child had an auditory brainstem implant.  If you Google pediatric auditory brainstem implant you will find a number of articles dealing with this procedure.  Basically, it implants a hearing device that transmits sound directly to the brainstem.  It is not normal ear hearing but gives a definite new level of "hearing" for the profoundly deaf patient.  NF2 patients who have had ANs treated on both sides, with complete hearing loss, are sometimes candidates for this procedure, as well.

For those of us with single side deafness and still have one intact hearing nerve, other options to send the sound to our good side, would most likely be the first choice.

Clarice
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

phantagrae

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Re: 3 yr old boy hears for first time
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2013, 09:46:22 am »
Hi Patti .....

I did not read this article, but my best guess is that this child had an auditory brainstem implant.  If you Google pediatric auditory brainstem implant you will find a number of articles dealing with this procedure.  Basically, it implants a hearing device that transmits sound directly to the brainstem.  It is not normal ear hearing but gives a definite new level of "hearing" for the profoundly deaf patient.  NF2 patients who have had ANs treated on both sides, with complete hearing loss, are sometimes candidates for this procedure, as well.

For those of us with single side deafness and still have one intact hearing nerve, other options to send the sound to our good side, would most likely be the first choice.

Clarice

I did see the video and as I recall, this is exactly the procedure the boy had--an auditory brainstem implant that transmits sound directly to the brainstem.
Numbness on right side of face beginning some time in 2012 through early 2013
MRI 4/15/13
20mm x 19mm x 16mm intra and extra canalicular AN on Right Side.  ("Largely extracanalicular")
FSR treatment beginning on July 22, 2013--going for 30 treatments

nftwoed

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Re: 3 yr old boy hears for first time
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2013, 05:58:21 pm »
Hi;
   I saw the article also.
   My feeling is a very young person will do better with an ABI than a late deafened adult.
   Thank goodness even though the boy was born w/o auditory nerves, his brain stem contained the necessary L/R auditory nucleus!

Crazycat

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Re: 3 yr old boy hears for first time
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2013, 04:37:35 pm »
Hi Patty!
5cm x 5cm left-side A.N. partially removed via Middle Fossa 9/21/2005 @ Mass General. 
Compounded by hydrocephalus. Shunt installed 8/10/2005.
Dr. Fred Barker - Neurosurgeon and Dr. Michael McKenna - Neurotologist.

Pam Fraley

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Re: 3 yr old boy hears for first time
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2013, 06:05:54 pm »
Palace posted something on this under a modeling of the brain post if you want to refer back to that post it was on June 22nd
6mmx4mm a/n (left IAC)
8-9mm meningioma (right cavernous sinus)
Diagnosed 2/5/2013 MRI
Wait & Watch -  Dr. Arts, University of Michigan
MRI scheduled for 10/22/2013
No change, continue w&w, repeat MRI in 6months