Hear and Say

Queensland based Hear and Say is one of the leading Paediatric Auditory-Verbal and cochlear implant centres in the world, teaching children who are deaf to listen and speak since 1992. Most children with hearing loss will benefit from advanced hearing aids or cochlear implant(s). However these hearing technologies do not suit all children. In 2010,... a new device known as the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) became known to Australian Clinicians working largely with a paediatric population. The first VSB surgery was performed overseas in 1996 however it was not approved for implantation in children until 2010. A VSB implant system is a middle ear implant used to treat children with conductive hearing loss who have a normal cochlear function but are unable to manage their hearing loss through conventional hearing aids. The first child to receive a VSB in Australia was Isaac a young man with Down Syndrome who was diagnosed with a moderate to severe conductive hearing loss at the age of six. In August 2010 Isaac's parents Kylie and Kevin brought Isaac to the Hear and Say Centre in Brisbane anxious that despite wearing hearing aids and having weekly speech therapy through a private provider since age 3 Isaac's speech and language were not improving. In September 2010 Isaac underwent unilateral surgery for a VSB on his right ear. His switch-on in November 2010 was a success with immediate improvement in his aided hearing thresholds across the major speech frequencies. In January 2011 Isaac's left VSB implant was surgically inserted, with switch on in March 2011. Mum, Kylie describes Isaac as 'transformed'. "His speech has improved significantly with many non-family members now having comprehension of his conversation which was not possible previously," said Kylie. At aged 9 Isaac's reading age prior to implantation was measured at 5 years and had improved to a reading age of 7 years, 9 months after implantation. Jane McGovern, Hear and Say Audiology Manager said, what the VSB has given Isaac is a consistency and clarity of ...Read More