Charlotte (Charly) Keane came into the world in August 2017 with a severe hearing impediment. Luckily for Charly, her parents, based in Virginia, sought an acoustic solution for their baby girl. Before long, Charly was fitted with hearing aids and heard the world for the first time in her life.
The moment that Charly first registers her mother’s voice is plain to see on her baby face; tears of emotion seem to well up in her eyes. When Christy says to her daughter, “I love you,” the baby girl’s awe and wonder is palpable.
“We had our miracle moment that I have been praying for when Char got her hearing aids today,” Christy explained, posting footage of her baby girl on her Instagram page.
Christy, a former NICU nurse, was not alarmed when her baby failed her first hearing test, assuming that it was the result of fluid in the ears. But four days later, further test failures confirmed that Charly was, in fact, legitimately hard of hearing.
“I just want to make sure she has all the resources to feel comfortable talking and communicating with people in any situation,” Christy concluded.
Charly will learn American sign language to supplement the assistance of her hearing aids as she grows older. The baby girl also wears a pair of glasses to correct astigmatism.
“[S]uch a joyous moment for this baby and family,” added another. “Congratulations to the medical team, without them this moment could not happen.”
“Absolutely heart warming,” one person added, echoing the sentiments of hundreds more. “Made me cry as a mom. Best news posted today.”
Christy has also become a hearing loss advocate following her daughter’s success with hearing aids and cochlear implants. She hosts story time events for children, both able-bodied and hearing impaired, in her local area.
