Western Maryland Toddler Gets

“Gift of Hearing” at GBMC

Deaf 2 ½ Year-Old Girl Receives Cochlear Implant On Dec. 28th

BALTIMORE – December 21, 2005 – A Western Maryland toddler soon to undergo cochlear implant (CI) surgery this month at Greater Baltimore Medical Center will begin the new year able to hear her dog barking, parents calling her name and older sister playing musical instruments.

Ashley Ober, 2½, of Keedysville, Md., suffers from profound sensorineural hearing loss, “and doesn’t even know her name” because she cannot hear, said her mother, Lynn Ober.  On Dec. 28th, GBMC otolaryngologist Dr. Scott London, director of GBMC’s cochlear implant program, will perform surgery that will change the Ober family’s life forever.
 
“We want to give our daughter the gift of hearing,” Ober said.  “Often Ashley copies her sister and dances like she is hearing the music. Now, we know she’ll be able to hear it.”

Ashley’s parents suspected something was wrong this past summer, just after Ashley’s second birthday, when she wouldn’t come when called, wake-up when the dog barked, or move when mom or dad yelled at her bedside.  After doing a significant amount of research, the Obers chose GBMC’s Cochlear Implant Center, and following a series of three-hour round-trip rides to see specialists, are confident their little girl will soon have a better life.

“I wish she knew what we were doing for her,” Ober said.  “She doesn’t yet have any comprehension but one day she’ll know why this is good for her.”

Regina Presley, AuD., CCC/A, FAAA, senior cochlear implant audiologist at GBMC, said children younger than three-years-old typically do very well.  “Toddlers are some of our best performers,” she said.  “The earlier these children are identified with hearing challenges and can be fitted with cochlear implants, the better the chance of ensuring optimal success.”

GBMC’s Cochlear Implant Center has implanted four other children since June – the youngest was 17-months-old.  The center also recently started group therapy for children with cochlear implants, allowing them to interact with and learn from one another, and also offering parents a chance to find support.

Editor’s Note: Please contact Michael Schwartzberg if you are interested in interviewing the Ober family or in a story on GBMC’s Cochlear Implant Center.

About GBMC
GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Central Maryland’s leading community hospital; Hospice of Baltimore, which provides comfort and care to patients with life-limiting illnesses; the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Community Health Center, which offers comprehensive health and family services to the residents of East Baltimore; and the GBMC Foundation, which supports the GBMC mission by managing fundraising efforts.  The 300-bed Medical Center, located on a beautiful suburban campus, serves nearly 22,000 inpatients annually and provides approximately 50,000 emergency room visits. For more information, go to www.gbmc.org.

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