A four-month-old beamed as her new hearing aids let her hear her mom’s voice clearly for the very first time.
Youngster Tanaya, from Phoenix, Arizona, was diagnosed with hearing loss shortly after birth, having failed multiple tests at hospital and being referred for further testing.
During that testing, Tanaya’s parents were informed she had permanent inner ear hearing loss and would need hearing aids.
Tanaya was no stranger to the devices, as her father, DeMarcus Green, is also hearing impaired and wears hearing aids in day-to-day life.
On January 5, when Tanaya visited Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s audiology office, in Gilbert, Arizona, she and her mom, Tameika Plumstead, 36, were told that it was the day she would be receiving her hearing aids – something Tameika had not been expecting because of insurance queries.
As DeMarcus wasn’t able to make the appointment, Tameika recorded as Tanaya’s hearing aids were being fitted, capturing her daughter’s smile as the devices allowed her to hear her mom’s voice clearly for the first time.
Tameika later shared the clip on social media, where it received a viral response.
She told Happilynews.com: “The excitement on her face and the way she lit up when she realized something different was happening was so overwhelming, in a good way.
“I was trying to maintain my composure, but the tears were welling up, so her audiologist passed me the box of tissues.
“I hope her video spreads more awareness about hearing loss.
“I myself, for 30-plus years of life, had never met anyone with a hearing disability, and now here I am, in love with a man who has hearing loss, and raising our beautiful baby girl who has hearing loss.
“I never knew they made devices so tiny, but this early intervention is a wonderful thing for her and all the babies with hearing loss.
“I can already see a huge difference in her when she’s wearing her devices.
“She’s much more attentive.
“Her focus is better, as she’s able to clearly hear where the voices and sounds are coming from, and she can lock in and focus on where the sound is.
“It’s really beautiful to see.”
