ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Audiology

When Yara was born, her family received news that they hadn’t anticipated – she didn’t pass her newborn hearing screening. While she was a happy baby who responded to sounds and hit developmental milestones, follow-up tests eventually confirmed that she had mild hearing loss. “At first, I had so many questions and concerns about her future – how this might affect her education, her ability to grow into adulthood with this diagnosis,” Yara’s mother, Ashley shares. “But as a family, we knew we would navigate this challenge together.” After receiving a referral from their pediatrician, Yara’s family turned to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida for answers. It was when they met Dr. Morgan Wilcox, pediatric audiologist, that they finally felt they fully understood Yara’s diagnosis. “We immediately felt at ease with Dr. Wilcox and her comforting and reassuring approach,” says Ashley. “She explained everything clearly, answered all our questions, and helped […]

Throughout 8-year-old, Moksh’s life, his mother, Rina and her family, noticed something was different. “He wasn’t able to give a response when we called to him or clapped,” Rina recalls. Concerned, they sought answers from numerous doctors, and one thing became clear—Moksh needed cochlear implants. After a year of searching for answers to help with his hearing loss, Moksh underwent the life-changing surgery that would set him on a new path. Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, became a critical part of that journey. After researching their options online and receiving recommendations from other doctors, Rina and her family turned to Nemours for their son’s care. What they found exceeded their expectations. “They are so intelligent,” says Rina about the audiology team. “They did a really good job with surgery and had accurate results. Everyone, from the nurses to the surgeons, were helpful and kind.” Moksh was born with profound sensorineural hearing […]

Born in November 2013, Savannah passed her initial hearing screening at birth, leaving her parents unaware of any hearing issues. It wasn’t until a playful moment during a game of telephone at age 6 that they discovered Savannah’s hearing impairment. Her father, Gabe, recalls the moment: “I whispered something into her left ear, and she said, ‘Oh no, Daddy, you have to whisper in my other ear. That ear doesn’t work.’” This revelation was the start of Savannah’s hearing journey. This casual game confirmed their initial suspicions. Gabe shares, “When she told us she couldn’t hear out of that ear, it made sense. She was always a loud talker, and her speech curled towards the ear that worked.” The family sought help from hearing specialists, but the initial results were disheartening. “We tried a hearing aid, but it only boosted her hearing from 4% to 12%. It just wasn’t enough,” […]

Micah’s journey began with some unexpected twists and turns, before he even entered this world. “Before Micah was born, we received the news that he might have Down syndrome through routine blood work during pregnancy,” shares his mother, Kaitlyn. “It was a whirlwind of emotions, but we leaned on the support and expertise of Nemours from the very beginning.” Kaitlyn’s family have been seeing providers at Nemours Children’s throughout the Delaware Valley ever since her firstborn arrived prematurely. Her GYN office recommended Nemours Children’s, and they found the care to be exceptional, so they continued with Micah’s treatment there. It was his team at Nemours that diagnosed Micah with Trisomy 21, commonly known as Down syndrome, along with clubfoot and a cardiac concern – coarctation of the aorta. Nemours became their beacon of hope, with a multidisciplinary team ready to address Micah’s complex needs. From the Trisomy 21 Clinic to […]

When Marina was just 6 months old, her family noticed something unusual—her neck often fell to one side. This seemingly minor issue led to a series of medical consultations and diagnoses that would shape the future for Marina and her family. Diagnosed with torticollis and abnormally low muscle tone (hypotonia) by her pediatrician, Marina was referred to a neurologist at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida for further evaluation. Upon consulting with Nemours Children’s specialists, it was discovered that she was experiencing frequent seizures. “Various specialists conducted studies, leading to the discovery of congenital cytomegalovirus on February 2, 2022, just after her first birthday,” shares her mother, Kenialys. “This news left us shocked, confused, sad, anxious, and scared. However, the dedicated care from healthcare professionals at Nemours helped us regain optimism and hope for Marina’s future.” Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is closely related to the viruses responsible for chickenpox and mononucleosis (mono). Babies infected […]

Melissa knew at a young age that she wanted to be a speech pathologist. When she was young, her grandfather had a stroke which helped influence the path she wanted to eventually take in life. After school, she would often walk to her grandparent’s house to play cards and visit until her Dad could pick her up. Often, after walking to their house she would arrive, and her grandfather was receiving his speech therapy sessions. Watching the therapist work with her grandfather and the care she took looking out for him, she decided she wanted to do the same thing. Melissa says, “Through my time in undergraduate and graduate studies I often found myself drawn to working more with children. I have always loved the energy and spirit that children often had and loved the possibilities of helping them grow and progress in their speech and language skills. I graduated […]