AN ADORABLE video shows the heartwarming moment a baby girl heard her dad’s voice for the first time.
Zoey Consevage, who is now two, was born completely deaf.
5
5
5
The doctors soon suggested to her parents Lynne Consevage, 31, and Travis Consevage, 33, that she undergo surgery to fit her with a cochlear implant.
This is a surgically implanted device that helps people who are severely hard of hearing or deaf to perceive and process sounds.
So, when Zoey turned 10 months old, she went under for what Lynne calls “the longest four hours of my life”.
A few weeks later, on April 25, the implant was activated – giving Zoey the ability to hear for the first time.
Lynne, a pharmacist from Indiana, USA, said: “The audiologists had been doing a couple separate tests and then they officially activated it.
“Because I was holding her, they asked my husband to say something to her so he called her name.
“She turned and looked at him immediately. I just remember thinking ‘Oh my God, it worked!’.”
Lynne and Travis found out their daughter Zoey was completely deaf when she was just two months old.
After several tests, doctors discovered she had inherited a gene present in both her parents, which caused her hearing loss.
Travis and Lynne initially debated whether or not Zoey should have surgery to get a cochlear implant fitted.
Lynne said: “We had been unsure about doing the surgery at all because she was so young.
“But doctors said that people with her specific genetic issue meant a cochlear implant would be very helpful for her.
“Now, we wouldn’t change it for the world.”
‘Big moments’ to come
Zoey doesn’t use her cochlear implant every day and when she doesn’t she communicates with sign language (ASL).
Lynne said: “As soon as we knew she was deaf, Travis and I began learning ASL.
“Zoey had picked it up pretty quickly before her implant and now both languages work together to help her learn to speak.
“Sometimes, when she’s sick, she can get hearing fatigue as she’s not used to hearing so much all the time.
What is a cochlear implant
A cochlear implant is a surgical procedure aimed at helping deaf people have a sensation of hearing
The implant is an electronic system that stimulates the nerve of hearing in the cochlear – which converts the vibrations into nerve impulses which are carried to the brain.
It can give a sensation of sound to profoundly deaf people who have been unable to hear even when using the most powerful hearing aids available.
The cochlear implant system is made up of several pieces of equipment, which work together to provide the sensation of hearing.
The microphone clips into the ear and picks up sound which is converted into an electrical signal in the speech processor.
“On these days, she’ll usually want her implant off.”
Although it isn’t used every day, the implant has opened up Zoey’s world to so many more opportunities.
Lynne said: “It’s been so special watching her learn to speak and communicate with us.
“Big moments like her singing for the first time and dancing around the kitchen to her favourite song have meant all the more.”
5
5
