Meet Justice Martin

When Justice was born Scott, his Father, and I had big ideas about the man he was going to become. We named him Justice Araya, after two of our favourite musicians, as a good omen. It turned into the worst irony four weeks later, when he was diagnosed with profound hearing loss.

Justice was diagnosed through the newborn screening program. We had a second ABR done (Auditory Brainstem Response which records the neural activity from the brain stem), when he was eight weeks, which confirmed his hearing loss. We both took it very hard, but I think it was harder for Scott. We were in shock for the first two days. We kept saying how do they know?, and maybe the test was wrong! I suppose it was like a grieving process.

People around us tried to tell us what they thought we wanted to hear. I dont know how many times we heard: well at least hes not blind. We felt that nobody really understood how we were feeling.

Mr Brian Pyman, an ENT surgeon, suggested a cochlear implant. He covered off all the options for Justice. We considered strong hearing aids but decided we had nothing to lose with a cochlear implant. Justice was already in a deaf world and, in a worst case scenario, if the implant didnt work he would only ever learn sign language. We wanted him to have the best we could offer him.

The assessment program at Australian Hearing and the Cochlear Implant Clinic was long and involved but it was important to have all the tests to make sure it would all work. Mr Robert Briggs assessed Justice and answered our many questions so that we felt comfortable with the whole process. Justice was fitted with hearing aids in both ears to keep his nerves stimulated. During this time we had many adjustments to make at home.

Justices three- year- old sister, Madison, took a little while to understand that his ears wouldnt work. We tried not to make Justice a huge priority in our household because he had a disability. We asked people to make Madison feel good. to speak to her first so that she knew she was special too. When we first brought Justice home we bought a present for Madison from Justice. She tells people Justice bought me the Barbie.

We were elated when we finally found out that Justice was a candidate for a cochlear implant. At long last, we were out of limbo and we finally knew the direction we were heading.

We were told that Justice was scheduled for the next surgery. I developed an obsession for knowledge and annoyed everyone with my incessant questions. I wanted to know everything about the process. No stones unturned! The clinic was very supportive. They encouraged our questions and made it clear that we could pull out at any time if we changed our minds. Justice was 10- months when he received his Freedom.

He is making good progress. He has a lot of catching up to do. In the therapy sessions we include Madison as much as possible. Thats often very challenging because she doesnt always understand that Justice needs quiet time. He has to learn twice as hard as everyone else. I try to make the sessions fun. They have to be fun otherwise the therapy wont work. Its slow progress. He started to babble recently. He understands his name and no! That was really exciting because we know hes hearing us. The most exciting moment though was when we first heard him babble Mum and Dad. We were overwhelmed.

We have great confidence in the technology. His Freedom body worn speech processor is easy to read and I have faith that its doing what it should be. I can be in the kitchen and Ill hear the alarm go off and I know hes knocked the coil off his head. Madisons learning too. She knows now that when his speech processor is on his head, his ears are working.

For the first time, since his diagnosis, Justice can communicate normally. By that I mean, I dont have to get in his face and shake my head dramatically, make eye contact, bang the floor and say NO! I can behave like a normal mother now because he can hear me.