Mum's the word

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jun 18, 2006 | by SARAH BRUCE

A YOUNG Scots girl who doctors predicted would never talk has emerged from her world of silence to say "Mummy".

Ellie Ewen was born profoundly deaf and medics gave her no hope of ever being able to hear or speak. However her mum Lisa refused to give up hope that her daughter would one day lead a normal life.

And now, after being given a revolutionary ear implant, four- year-old Ellie is able to say the word her mum has been longing to hear.

Lisa, 22, from Aberdeen, said: "It brought tears to my eyes when she said 'Mummy'. I'd been waiting for her to talk to me for so long that I wasn't expecting it.

"I was told I would never hear her voice so it means the world to me. I'm captivated by every little noise and sound she makes now."

Lisa, from the Bridge of Don area of Aberdeen, had no idea anything was wrong with Ellie until she was about eight months old. She was worried because her daughter didn't seem to react any sounds around her.

Doctors were baffled when she passed several hearing tests with no problems, and Lisa's world was shattered when they thought her little girl had learning difficulties. But a further test, under anaesthetic, showed that she was deaf - and she'd been "cheating" by lip reading in the earlier examinations.

Ellie was given hearing aids, which failed to help her condition, so Lisa fought for her to be given a pioneering cochlear implant.

The small device is inserted into the ear and turns soundwaves into weak electric currents which stimulate the auditory nerve and help people to hear.

Lisa said: "There's no stopping her now. She wants to talk all the time. It's still early days but she can say all the colours and numbers and wants to tell everyone her name and how old she is. It's amazing how far she's come in such a short space of time. I'm so proud of her."

Ellie has now been accepted into a mainstream nursery. Administration assistant Lisa is hoping this will pave the way for Ellie to go to a normal primary school.

"All I wanted was for Ellie to have a normal life. It was a long battle but it was worth it.

"Just a few months ago I was told there was no chance of her talking, let alone being considered for a mainstream nursery. She's an amazing little girl."

A spokeswoman for the National Deaf Children's Society said: "Although cochlear implants are not a cure for some deaf children, they can make an amazing difference to their lives. It's great news that Ellie's implant is working so well and she's learning to communicate. We wish her and her family all the best for the future as she grows up."

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