Meet Kelin McCloskey

At age 7, Kelin McClosky already understands the difference a cochlear implant has made in her life. She can now sing and play flute and piano. In music class, she now easily picks out familiar tunes. She even converses well on the phone. Kelin realizes the implant has given her access to so much more.

Her mother, Julie McCloskys, notices yet another difference. With an implant, Kelin has truly opened up and blossomed.

"Before the implant Kelin isolated herself socially, in school or at playgrounds. It was hard for her to make new friends," Julie says. Soon after adjusting to the implant, Kelin gained more confidence and self-esteem in social situations. She engaged in social activities and initiated conversations with peers. The improved confidence has been the high point of this whole process.

Kelin was diagnosed with a moderate-severe hearing loss at 14 months of age. She was fitted with hearing aids and began audio-verbal therapy. Right before her second birthday, she was officially diagnosed with Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct (EVA) syndrome. For the following two years, Kelin experienced sudden drops in hearing, with her overall hearing becoming progressively worse. Thats when an implant for Kelin entered into the picture.

We did loads of research and had lengthy meetings with Kelins otologist and audiologist, recalls Julie. We chose to implant Kelins worse ear with a Nucleus implant system. We were attracted to Cochlears stability, safety outcomes, experience with implants, and commitment to advancing its technology. We also liked that the surgeon and audiologist were comfortable with this system.

Kelins surgery and initial activation went well. Kelin could immediately hear sounds, like the elevator bell, explains Julie. At first, I became a little concerned that she could not discriminate her own name. But two weeks later everything started to make sense to her. Within a month or so she was at or above where she was with just her hearing aids.

Now more than four years since getting an implant, Kelin hears very well. She uses a hearing aid in her other ear and relies on lip-reading only in noisy environments. In school and while playing basketball, she also uses a Phonak FM.

What continues to impress Julie is how Kelin describes the way she hears today. Kelin laughs and explains how her implant sounded beepy at first. She thinks its funny how the sound has changed. Kelin now describes the sound as great! says Julie.

Kelins positive response to the implant has been reassuring for Julie. She says, It was a relief that we made the right decision. There were so many questions and uncertainties prior to surgery. We now know that we made the right choice.