Miss-Delectable
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Deaf boy can hear after op - Thorne Today
A DONCASTER schoolboy born without any ears has had his hearing and appearance restored after he underwent several operations and was fitted with a set of artificial ears.
Joshua Bull, 11, of Moorends, was born with small misshapen flaps of skin for ears as well blocked ear canals which meant he could only pick up a noise if someone shouted loudly right next to him.
But doctors were able to put implants in his skull to enable him to hear and also provide him with realistic plastic ears so he could aviod people staring in the street.
Joshua's first procedure took place when he was aged two when surgeons began by inserting of a bone-anchored hearing aid into his skull which effectively by-passes his ear canal enabling him to hear.
Mum Lesley, 39, a care support worker, said: "His little face and eyes lit up when it was put on, he could hear the birds sing for the first time.
"He was well behind in his speech, but with this hearing aid it improved tremendously."
However, as Joshua grew older, he became more self-conscious about his appearance. Although he was treated with kindness by friends, neighbours and schoolmates, when he went further afield his family noticed people staring and whispering.
Last October, the youngster was fitted with another hearing aid and prosthetic ears that attach to metal fixtures surgically embedded into the bone at the side of his head and can be put on and off as easily as glasses. He will get new ears every six months until he is fully-grown.
Mrs Bull said Joshua is excelling academically and speech is like that of an adult rather than someone who was born almost deaf.
She commented: "He has been full of himself. All the staring has stopped. I could never imagine the ears could be so good."
Joshua added: "I wouldn't say I was delighted with them, I am completely gobsmacked. I can't believe how good they are."
Most children born with the same condition as Joshua have an ear missing on one side but sometimes both ears can be affected. In some cases surgeons can recreate an ear using a small section of cartilage from the child's rib cage. Joshua's treatment was carried out by medics at Birmingham's Children's and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals under the guidance of consultant David Proops.
A DONCASTER schoolboy born without any ears has had his hearing and appearance restored after he underwent several operations and was fitted with a set of artificial ears.
Joshua Bull, 11, of Moorends, was born with small misshapen flaps of skin for ears as well blocked ear canals which meant he could only pick up a noise if someone shouted loudly right next to him.
But doctors were able to put implants in his skull to enable him to hear and also provide him with realistic plastic ears so he could aviod people staring in the street.
Joshua's first procedure took place when he was aged two when surgeons began by inserting of a bone-anchored hearing aid into his skull which effectively by-passes his ear canal enabling him to hear.
Mum Lesley, 39, a care support worker, said: "His little face and eyes lit up when it was put on, he could hear the birds sing for the first time.
"He was well behind in his speech, but with this hearing aid it improved tremendously."
However, as Joshua grew older, he became more self-conscious about his appearance. Although he was treated with kindness by friends, neighbours and schoolmates, when he went further afield his family noticed people staring and whispering.
Last October, the youngster was fitted with another hearing aid and prosthetic ears that attach to metal fixtures surgically embedded into the bone at the side of his head and can be put on and off as easily as glasses. He will get new ears every six months until he is fully-grown.
Mrs Bull said Joshua is excelling academically and speech is like that of an adult rather than someone who was born almost deaf.
She commented: "He has been full of himself. All the staring has stopped. I could never imagine the ears could be so good."
Joshua added: "I wouldn't say I was delighted with them, I am completely gobsmacked. I can't believe how good they are."
Most children born with the same condition as Joshua have an ear missing on one side but sometimes both ears can be affected. In some cases surgeons can recreate an ear using a small section of cartilage from the child's rib cage. Joshua's treatment was carried out by medics at Birmingham's Children's and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals under the guidance of consultant David Proops.