Olivia Ervin from Pennsylvania was born in November 2021. A month later, doctors diagnosed her with deafness. And two months later, the girl received her first hearing aid and was able to hear her mother sing her a lullaby for the first time. The family recorded the touching moment on video.
Edri admits that when she discovered her daughter’s deafness, “the earth went from under her feet”. “We were sure she was listening,” Adrie says, “because she always reacted so emotionally when we spoke to her. »
According to Edri, she and her daughter were very supportive of the girl’s father, Rick. “If I was emotional, then he pulled himself together and was firmly committed to solving the problem,” says Adry. “He was the embodiment of logic and reason. »
During a consultation with an audiologist, Rick heard about an early intervention program designed for little ones with various types of birth defects.
As part of the program, the little ones in the first months of life receive assistance that helps them from the very beginning to lead a normal life.
As part of the program, the family joined a support group for parents of deaf children and received advice from an adaptation specialist.
But most importantly, for Olivia, at the age of three months, the first hearing aids were collected. The first thing the girl heard was a lullaby her mother sang to her.
“It was extremely exciting and joyful to sing a song to her, knowing that for the first time she really hears me,” admits Adri.
Hearing the sounds, Olivia initially burst into tears, but soon began listening with interest. “When she cried, I held her close and sang very loudly,” says Adrie.
At the same time, vibrations are transmitted to her, and it seemed to me that she recognized the song from them and looked, as if to say: “This is something familiar! »
Hearing aids are only the beginning: soon Olivia will undergo an operation to introduce a cochlear implant in one ear, with which the girl will hardly hear anything.
Olivia’s family is ready for new steps that will allow the young girl to grow up in a world full of sounds.
Olivia got used to the new implants the very next day and began to actively explore the new world of sounds for her.
The girl’s parents think that Olivia should learn sign language anyway and are going to do it themselves. “We want to be close to her,” Adry said.
She will be part of a larger human community of deaf and hard of hearing people, and we want to be close to her. »
