When Renee Cain learned her son was born profoundly deaf she was in shock. It was 2016, and little Jackson was only days old when he was given a hearing test that all new babies receive, but his results weren’t what they’d hoped for. Renee says it took quite a while for the news to sink in, and it was heartwrenching when it did.
“We tried hearing aids and we thought he could hear things, like doors banging, but they weren’t working at all,” says Renee, who lives in Rangiora. With a lot of support and information, Renee decided that cochlear implants were the right option for Jackson and their family. A cochlear implant is a surgically-implanted electronic device that restores hearing for those with profound hearing loss. At six-months-old Jackson underwent surgery to have the implants fitted. The surgery was arranged by the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP) in Christchurch.
Jackson Ormsby
Renee remembers when her little boy could finally hear her voice.
“His face lit up and he had a big smile when I spoke. It brought tears to my eyes,” she says. “It’s an indescribable feeling to know that your child can hear you. When he heard sounds for the first time he had a look of amazement on his face.” Jackson, now four, will start at Southbrook School in Rangiora later in May.
“I never knew about cochlear implants until I was in this situation,” says Renee. “It’s amazing what technology can do.”