This is an article about gene therapy being used to restore hearing in children with deafness. It discusses six children who received a single injection into one ear. The treatment involved delivering a working version of the otoferlin gene to the inner ear. This gene is necessary for hearing, and mutations in it can cause deafness. Five of the children were able to hear after the treatment. They could now perceive sounds as low as 45 decibels, which is about the level of a conversation. This is a significant improvement, as they were previously unable to hear anything under 95 decibels. The researchers are hopeful that this treatment could one day be used to restore hearing in people of all ages.
"...she does not consider deafness to be a challenge. The challenge is presented through the environment." Oh, I love that shift of focus....Wow, for some reason that was an important insight for me. Thank you. So simple but so profound, I would think, in terms of self-esteem. That's empowering.