New world opens up for Maisy
Maisy Taylor loves her new ears so much her mum has to smuggle them off her at night to recharge them.
The 31⁄2-year-old was born profoundly deaf, and two years ago had two life-changing cochlear implants. Part of the new hearing apparatus is inserted through a surgical nick behind her ear, while the business ends sit in a headband.
Mum Katie Taylor said Maisy’s hearing loss was picked up early, and she was initially fitted with hearing aids.
But by the time she was 18 months old, it was clear to her she was not hearing.
She was alert, drinking in information about the world through her eyes, but not responding to her name.
Maisy’s surgery was carried out after a subsequent audiology examination led to the diagnosis of profound deafness.
Cochlear implants help by bypassing damage in the inner ear, and send electric signals directly to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound.
The externally worn audio processors detect sounds and send them to the internal implant. Both implants were paid for by the health system, as was a programme to help her start to make sense of sound, and catch up with listening, language and speech skills.
Taylor said on the day she had her implants, her spoken language development was reset to that of a newborn. Two years later, she was closing the gap, speaking like she was 21⁄2 or nearly 3.
‘‘Our goal is for her to catch up by the time she starts school.’’
Taylor said it took time to help Maisy. ‘‘We talk a lot, and have to remember to speak slowly and clearly.’’
Maisy gets extra help from a teacher of the deaf when she goes to kindergarten in Bulls, and has things to do at home to help her understand some of the concepts people put into words.
‘‘They say they do miss out on some things, like the things others overhear.’’
Noisy places, such as an indoor swimming pool, could be a challenge but on a quiet day at Feilding’s Makino Aquatic Centre, Maisy is all ears for instructor Sara Kennard as she splashes like any other kid.
It is Loud Shirt Day next Friday, when groups and businesses around New Zealand are challenged to wear their brightest shirts to raise up to $200,000 for The Hearing House in Auckland and Southern Cochlear Implant Programme in Christchurch.