Lexington, Kentucky (February 17, 2025) – Letitisha Broads knew that her young son had a hard time listening, but the results of the auditory assessment set it in harsh terms.
hThe ER fourth graders were having “World War II veteran hearings,” Letisha said Louisville's ear, nose and throat doctor told her in late 2023.
dujuan Letitisha's son, Broads Jr., had to meet with the experts.. tHe had no open reservations for the Louisville options from their origins for several months, so they were introduced UK Healthcare In Lexington.
“The ball was rolling very quickly and the UK was very supportive and amazing,” Letitisha said.
Since then, young people Dujuan cares for UK healthcare Ears, nose and throat (ent) clinic – US News & World Report TOP-50 Nationally Ranked Specialties Dujuan received the latest pediatric hearing care. he This December, he was even able to make history as the first patient in the United States and as a patient who received a Flex 34 electrode from Med-El, an auditory implant reader recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
“Here is the ministries and agencies It's a very special group of people in the UK.” Nathan CassMD, British abuse and neurology expert with Flex 34 embedded. “We are dedicated to doing our best to our patients. The world.”
Now 10 years old Dujuan has a wide range of interests. He is involved in the school's robotics club and loves to play video games and discuss anime with friends. He likes to draw and draw, and last year he went to his first Cincinnati Reds game with his mother and dad.
but The delayed speech at age 2 was a signal to Letitisha that something was wrong. Dujuan underwent speech therapy until his third year. A hardworking student and enthusiastic reader, Dujuan excelled in mathematics and reading at school.
Like many boys of his age, Dujuan also enjoyed his time at the baseball diamonds, said his father, Dujuan Broadus Sr. However, Dad noticed that his son seemed worried when he was out on the field or on the bat. Then, at the end of his third year, the young Dujuan suddenly declared that he had finished in baseball.
“in At the time I thought he was just nervous,” Dujuan Sr. said. He didn't know what was going on so he was watching me to oversee him. ”
His The fourth grade teacher also raised concerns. Dujuan appears to be struggling to respond to direct questions, and his teacher was worried that he would not be able to hear her.
Updated evaluations by speech pathologists resulted in the need for failed hearing tests, further evaluations, and ultimately a diagnosis of hearing loss and hearing aids. Continuing hearing tests showed that his hearing loss had worsened so that his hearing aids no longer benefited his right ear.
Faced with severe to powerful hearing loss, the family decided to pursue co-cow implants, which led them to Cas and audiology team from UK Healthcare Ear, Nose and Throat Clinics.
What is a cochlear implant?
Cochlea, a The small snail-like structure in the ear is key to whoever listens. Coco cows, sometimes called auditory organs, have two liquid-filled chambers lined with small fur. As part of the auditory process, sounds vibrate the cow's fluids, and their impulses are converted into electrical signals carried and interpreted by the brain.
“In some cases, if your child has hearing loss, those small hair cells may not function as before, or there may be some problem with the ionic composition of their liquid. Ricardo Vallejo, au.d., with Cass Kendra KendallUK cochlear implant program coordinators are important Take care of Dujuan.
Cochlear implant involves surgically placing small electrodes within the cochlear It can directly stimulate nerve fibers in the auditory nerve. According to Cass, Dujuans have very large cows among the top 5-8% of the general population. This made him a good candidate for the Med-El Flex 34, the longest electrode arrangement available on the market today.
“This large size means that the short electrodes leave him without stimulating part of the inner ear, making him a good candidate for this new electrode that provides electroauditive stimulation over the entire length of his inner ear.” said Cass.
The historic December surgery went smoothly, Cass said.
“I was grateful for the opportunity to pioneer the use of Flex 34 technology in the US,” Cass said. “I've known about this implant electrode since its invasion in Europe two years ago, but recently I was able to develop it and connect with my first Austrian colleague in humans. This was a rapid one. It speaks to advanced technology The importance of global scholarships and connections to advance patient care in otology as a whole and auditory health. ”
With the January appointment, Vallejo is now active Dujuan's Cochlear Implant.
“I've never smiled so much.” Dujouen said before replacing the external components of his new cochlear implant with the right hearing aid.
But even after activation, work It's not done entirely. A few weeks after activation, Dujuan's Cochlear Implant is fine-tuned through follow-up appointments, and Dujuan is fine-tuned using implants in daily life.
“As we move forward, his brain will quickly adapt to the stimulation we have given him today. Revitalization of Dujuan. “We take different measurements to find out where his level is, and usually we get to the point where those things level., And we start to realize that he's listening and doing really well. ”
In many ways, hearing It opens up the world around us. If he is satisfied with his new cochlear implant, there may be many opportunities available for Dujuan.
“I have informed him, “This is going to open the whole world for you again,” Dujuan Sr. said. “What you may have lost interest before, you may be able to find interest again.”
dujuan Jr. may need to get cochlear implants on other ears one day, but even if that happens, the family knows where they can get help.
“When it comes to dealing with pediatric cow implants, the most important thing is that the family is at the heart of everything,” Vallejo said. “Helping Dujuan listen is one thing, but it is most important to me to support him so that the whole family can support him. It's not just about listening, it's about maximizing his potential in the future. ”
