After Beckett failed multiple newborn hearing screenings, his parents were given a diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Determined to help him hear, Beckett’s parents chose for him to receive cochlear implants and Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 Sound Processors. Now, Beckett is a shining star in speech therapy and has a zest for life. Read his story:
“Beckett came into this world quickly and immediately changed the trajectory of our lives. He showed signs of respiratory distress within hours of his birth and for nearly two weeks he fought through pneumonia and another unidentified virus. During his hospital stay, he failed his newborn hearing screening twice, but we were told it was because he was sick, and since neither my husband nor I had a family history of hearing loss, we didn’t think too much of it.
A few weeks after coming home, we went to a hearing center to have his hearing checked. I’ll admit that it was a punch to my gut when we found out he had again failed his hearing screening. We were told that he was profoundly deaf. Over the next few weeks, we went from an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT), to hearing specialists and doctors hoping to find answers.
Finally, on a chilly December day when Beckett was 4 months old, we met with an audiologist at a nearby hospital, who after conducting hearing screenings and x-rays of Beckett’s ears, diagnosed him as having profound hearing loss. Essentially, Beckett wouldn’t even be able to hear a jet engine if it was right next to him. We were devasted. We had genetic testing done and it was determined that Beckett had Connexin 26 gene mutation, which is a common cause of congenital sensorineural hearing loss.
Discovering cochlear implants for Beckett
That same day, we met with a highly regarded pediatric otolaryngologist who discussed options for Beckett with us. We were told that the best option was to have Beckett undergo a surgery to get cochlear implants. Cochlear implants would allow him the ability to hear and communicate with us through spoken language.
In our state at that time, insurance companies would not cover the costs associated with this procedure until the child is 1 year old. Until that time, Beckett was fitted with hearing aids. Although Beckett wouldn’t benefit much from them, it would send messages to his hearing nerves to somewhat help them. This way, when he was implanted, he’d have a higher success rate of the devices working properly and communicating with his brain once activated.
We then met with a hearing rehabilitation center, not far from our local hospital, to discuss device options. We were immediately drawn to the Nucleus 7 Sound Processors. We’re an active family, so we wanted something durable, small and with waterproof accessories*. We never wanted Beckett to feel like he was limited as to what he could or couldn’t do. The technology surrounding this device was amazing and we knew that as he grew, this device would grow with him. We are so happy we chose this device.
Hearing on track with his peers
Once his surgery successfully took place, he was activated a month later. I honestly contribute his success today to Cochlear, as well as therapy that he has been in since he was 8 weeks old. You can’t even tell that he is deaf because the kid never stops talking. Compared to his nearly 4-year-old counterparts, he’s on track with his peers.
I remember the first time he could hear water. The pure joy on his face will forever be etched in my memory, and it’s because of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processors. The waterproof Aqua+1 is a game changer and is one of the main reasons we chose this sound processor. Cochlear lives up to their reputation as well. Every time we have had an issue with his device, it has been resolved quickly and he receives new parts within a few days, sometimes the next day.
The Nucleus Smart App* has been such a blessing because it helps gives us peace of mind. If our son were to misplace his device, the app would help us locate it and the convenience of streaming to different accessories and controlling sound is perfect for our busy, hectic life. Beckett loves to play in the water and be outdoors, and with the Nucleus Smart App, we feel more comfortable with him wearing them outdoors.
Success with the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor
Additionally, there are so many amazing accessories which help keep the device close to Beckett whether it’s a cap or clip. The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is by far the best thing that has happened to our family, and it’s a true blessing. We haven’t had to change our lifestyle all that much to accommodate Beckett’s hearing loss because the Nucleus 7’s capabilities and features make it easy to do whatever we want to do as a family with minimal problems or inconveniences.
Beckett will be turning 4 years old this fall, and all of his speech therapists refer to him as their shining star. He’s excelling in every area of his life, except sleep, and his communication is seriously impressive. I owe his success and love for life partially to Cochlear and their amazing devices. Beckett will continue to excel and thrive with his Nucleus 7 Sound Processors.”
Was your child diagnosed with hearing loss? Learn more about the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor today.
*Nucleus Smart App is available on App Store and Google Play. For compatibility information, 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 rating means that the sound processor with the Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of 3 m (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.
