In the 1990s, newborn health screenings did not routinely include hearing tests. As a result, Mia’s bilateral profound deafness went undiagnosed until she was 15 months old.
After her diagnosis, Mia’s parents chose a specialist school focused on oral education, where she was trained in lipreading. She wore hearing aids in both ears, but they were ineffective as a treatment for her profound deafness.
With no personal or family experience of deafness, Mia’s parents struggled to know how best to help their daughter. So, they set about researching the options available and learned about cochlear implants.
“The resident audiologist explained that I would be a strong candidate for a cochlear implant, not only because of the severity of my deafness but also because I am surrounded by an incredibly supportive family.” explains Mia.
Her parents chose the Cochlear™ Nucleus® System after learning about the many advantages of the brand” and Mia now wears the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, enjoying the connectivity with her iPhone and other Bluetooth® devices.
“It is also very empowering for me to use the Nucleus Smart App to monitor the battery and volume status of my sound processor,” says Mia.
“I am so grateful to have a cochlear implant and to consistently and reliably use it to hear. Life as a profoundly deaf person sure has its challenges, but having a cochlear implant helps me experience the world and feel included with my family and friends. I do love having the superpower of being able to lip read too!”
Mia appreciates the efforts her parents and others made when she was younger to determine that her quality of life would be positively impacted by having a cochlear implant.
“I love hearing sounds like the waves crashing at the beach and the birds chirping.”
As a teenager, she enjoyed many team sports and was a competitive swimmer during high school and college. One of the biggest challenges was that she couldn’t hear the starting buzzer because she had to remove her sound processor to go in the water.
Although she no longer swims competitively, Mia now uses the Aqua+ Accessory to enjoy sounds in and around the water.
“In the summer, I’ll most likely be with my husband and friends on our boat! I always make sure my sound processor doesn’t fall off while we’re driving the boat on the river.”
Mia’s latest goal is to spread awareness and educate others by sharing her experiences as a deaf person with a cochlear implant on Instagram. You can follow her story and experiences by following @AllEarsWithMia on Instagram.
“I feel that if my parents had known more about deaf culture, they would have felt more confident in their decision for me to receive a cochlear implant” she explains. “I want to help others feel educated and empowered in their learning about the deaf culture and the incredible people in the world who are affected by all degrees of deafness!”
If you enjoy spending time in or around the water like Mia, explore the Aqua+ Accessory.
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