Toddler's op to bring sounds of life for first time

From: icNorthWales, UK - 10 Feb 2003

Feb 10 2003

Daily Post

A DEAF toddler will hopefully be able to hear her own voice for the first time soon thanks to a ground-breaking operation.

Amy Louise Warrington, two, of Penygroes, Caernarfon, was born deaf. Her parents Philip, 41, and Wendy, 28, and her brother, Philip Jnr, seven, have normal hearing.

Last week, Amy had an operation at a Nottingham hospital to insert a magnetic microphone under the skin on the side of her head.

She has a receiver on the inside of her ear and a speech processor which she wears on her body.

In three weeks, however, her parents hope that the volume of the speechprocessor will be turned on to level 1allowing Amy to be able to hear for the very first time.

A delighted Philip said: "We're hoping she'll have a reaction to sound and will not reject it."

If all goes well, the volume will be gradually increased over a period of time.

Wendy said: "It will be quite a shock to her because it will be very strange to hear sounds like the telephone ringing and find where it's coming from. I hope itwon't make her cry."

She said her daughter is an extremely happy and confident little girl and gets on with her life by using sign language - askill that many of her family and friends have also learnt. Amy has already learnt 60 different sign language words.

The hope is that she will continue to progress with speech therapy and soon be able to start at the local Ysgol Feithrin.

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