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From the moment she was born, 3-year-old Olivia faced significant health challenges, including profound hearing loss in both ears. But after two cochlear implants restored her sense of sound, she can more easily express herself – and dance.

“She’s a feisty one,” said Casey about her daughter. Shortly after delivery, Olivia was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at Wolfson Children’s Hospital due to an intraventricular hemorrhage, bleeding in the brain that causes seizures and other severe health complications. After more than a month at Wolfson Children’s, where nearly all care is provided by Nemours Children’s physicians, Olivia was finally able to go home.

“No one thought the hemorrhage would affect her hearing,” said Casey. However, she and Dominic, Olivia’s dad, began to notice little things indicating their daughter might not be able to hear. Concerned, they brought her to Joel Barrington, APRN, one of Nemours Children’s expert nurses who specialize in ENT conditions.

After examining Olivia, Barrington had her undergo an auditory brainstem response test, a painless exam that evaluates a child’s response to auditory stimuli while sleeping. A further noninvasive test conducted in a soundproof audiometric booth confirmed Olivia was unable to hear in both ears. Nemours Children’s ENT specialist Dr. Evie Landry determined Olivia was a candidate for cochlear implants.

“I had some apprehension because it’s lifechanging,” said Casey. “But Dr. Landry explained the surgery and recovery, and we decided it was best for Olivia.”

Olivia’s cochlear implants were placed in two separate surgeries, each one with a faster recovery time than the last. She will continue visiting Nemours Children’s, Jacksonville for speech therapy, audiology exams and other care throughout her childhood.

“We almost instantly saw an improvement.” said Casey. “She dances now. She never danced before.”

At just 2-years-old, Zachariah has faced more health challenges than many people do in a lifetime. But thanks to amazing care he received from the otolaryngology team at Nemours Children’s, Jacksonville, he is thriving.

When he was 2 weeks old, Zachariah began exhibiting some alarming symptoms, including difficulty breathing. “He had what seemed like a mini seizure, so I took him to the hospital,” said mom, Heather. There, her infant son underwent a battery of tests but only received a diagnosis of “noisy breathing” and a recommendation to see a pediatrician.

To uncover the cause of Zachariah’s health problems, Heather brought him to Brett Chafin, MD, an ENT specialist at Nemours Children’s, Jacksonville. There, X-rays revealed enlarged adenoid glands that almost completely blocked his nasal airways. Zachariah needed an adenoidectomy, a procedure to remove his adenoids.

“Dr. Chafin walked us through the whole process of getting Zachariah’s adenoids removed,” said a grateful Heather. “He has been a godsend.”

In addition to breathing difficulties, Zachariah suffered from relentless ear and strep throat infections. These chronic infections kept him from attending daycare. Like Zachariah, many children with recurring ear and throat infections are often absent from daycare and school, resulting in adverse impacts on their learning and academic performance.

Dr. Chafin addressed Zachariah’s ear infections by surgically implanting small tubes in his ear drums and removing his tonsils to prevent additional strep throat occurrences. Zachariah was fortunate to have his conditions treated at an early age, allowing him to breathe normally and attend daycare free of constant illness-related disruptions.

“He’s been really good. This is the healthiest he’s been,” said Heather. “It’s a giant improvement.”

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“We were shocked,” said Ritchie, recalling the moment he and wife Rebecca discovered their infant daughter Rose was profoundly deaf.

Rose’s condition was detected during a newborn hearing screening, a painless test that helps parents get their children the early care they need to prevent communication and learning difficulties as they get older. Additional hearing exams at Nemours Children’s confirmed Rose was unable to hear in both ears.

“It was a little bit of a scary situation,” said Ritchie. “As first-time parents with these challenges, we were taken aback.”

Although Rose was not a candidate for hearing aids, an MRI revealed she would benefit from cochlear implants. Surgically placed in one or both ears, cochlear implants can restore the sense of sound to patients with severe hearing loss. After speaking with Nemours Children’s Otolaryngologist Evie Landry, MD, Rose's family knew the procedure was right for 10-month-old Rose.

Rose’s surgery was a resounding success. “The first day after, she was a little sore,” said Rebecca. “By the next morning, she was smiling and playing. She ate pancakes for breakfast.”

Audiologist Stacy Payne activated Rose’s implants on Valentines Day, 2024. “There was a moment where a toy she was familiar with made a sound that she reacted to,” said Ritchie. “We will never forget that as long as we live. It was one of our happiest moments as a young family.”

Now a year old, Rose is beginning to speak with the help of her Nemours Children’s speech therapist, Loria Austin, CCC-SLP, and is captivated by the world of sound. “She’s really one of the happiest babies. Anything that can shake, rattle or make noise – she loves it,” said Rebecca.