When Arielle was born with hearing loss as a result of MYO15A, her family was filled with endless questions about her future. However she was determined to be a cochlear implant candidate and her family eagerly took the opportunity to provide their daughter with a potential hearing future. When their second daughter, Fiona, was born, they now had experience with hearing loss. Now these siblings are embracing a life of fun and water activities thanks to their cochlear implants. Read on below:
It’s funny to write about it now, eight years ago we had no idea what a cochlear implant was. Fast forward to 2025 and we have two beautiful girls, both with bilateral cochlear implants.
A hearing loss diagnosis leads to endless questions
Our journey began in 2016. We had our first daughter Arielle who was born with sensorineural hearing loss. It was a complete shock to us and devastating as we began to navigate a whole new world. There were so many questions and fears racing through our minds for our daughter’s future. ‘What would life look like? Would the whole family need to learn sign language? Would we ever listen to music again?’ Endless questions followed by endless doctor’s appointments, finally proving Arielle has bilateral severe to profound hearing loss and was a candidate for cochlear implants.
We jumped at the opportunity for Arielle to receive a cochlear implant and we never looked back. Arielle was implanted at a hospital in New York City. Following the procedure, there was a brief healing process followed by the sound processor activation day! Once her sound processors were activated, the hard work really began and that was auditory rehab. We joined the Center for Hearing and Communication in Manhattan which quickly became our second home. Endless hours of rigorous speech therapy and by age 3 Arielle was mainstreamed in school.
A second daughter, a second diagnosis
In 2019, Arielle’s little sister Fiona was born. She failed the newborn hearing screening at the hospital and at that point we knew. After going through the process once, we knew what to expect and quickly began to schedule her tests and surgical appointments. Fiona was born with the same genetic marker as Arielle, MYO15A and both had the same degree of hearing loss. Bilateral severe to profound hearing loss. Fiona was implanted at around 9-months-old1 at the same hospital as her big sister.
Fiona’s hearing journey looked a little different from her big sister Arielle. Six months post her initial surgery, Fiona’s incision sight caught a stubborn infection. We tried many rounds of antibiotics, doctor appointments and finally had to ex-plant her left cochlear implant. Fiona was left aided only on one side and that was challenging. Localizing sound and learning speech became more difficult. Once the left side had properly healed, about a year had gone by and Fiona was ready to be reimplanted.
We chose Cochlear as our life hearing partner. Cochlear has the most advanced hearing technology in the world and is up-to-date with modern technology such as apps2, Bluetooth® connectivity for streaming3 music and calls.
Life now, and in the future
We now live in Miami, Florida and our girls are thriving! Arielle now 8, plays tennis, and Fiona age 5, takes ballet and gymnastics. Both girls participate in swimming practice in hopes to join their local swim team. I help the girls by setting up their Aqua+ accessory4 three days a week for their swim lessons, so that they can swim using their sound processors. It’s amazing to watch them swim regularly and enjoy Florida life.
The girls are able to live full lives. Arielle recently received an iPhone® and now picks up grandma’s calls straight through her Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 Sound Processors. In the evenings, she streams her favorite Bruno Mars songs directly to her processors. The technology is incredible. Our life would not be possible without Cochlear and we are forever grateful.”
If your child has experienced hearing loss as a result of MYO15A, just like these siblings in Arielle and Fiona, a cochlear implant may be able to help! Learn about your options today.
5 6- In the United States, the Cochlear Nucleus 24 cochlear implant system is intended for use in children 9 months to 24 months of age who have bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss and demonstrate limited benefit from appropriate bilateral hearing aids. Children 2 years of age or older may demonstrate severe to profound hearing loss bilaterally. In Canada, the Cochlear Nucleus Implant System (CI500 and CI600 Series) is intended for use in children 9 months to 24 months of age who have bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss and demonstrate limited benefit from appropriate bilateral hearing aids. Children two years of age or older may demonstrate severe to profound hearing loss bilaterally.
- Nucleus Smart App is available on App Store and Google Play. For compatibility information, visit www.Cochlear.com/compatibility.
- For a full list of smartphone and app compatible devices, visit: www.cochlear.com/compatibility.
- The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor with Aqua+ is water resistant to level IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529. This water protection means that the sound processor with the Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of 3 meters (9 ft and 9 in) for up to 2 hours. This water protection only applies when you use a Cochlear Standard Rechargeable Battery Module or Cochlear Compact Rechargeable Battery Module. The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is water- resistant without the Nucleus Aqua+ accessory to level of IP57 of the International Standard IEC60529 when used with rechargeable batteries.
- The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Cochlear is under license.
- Apple and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
