Still Waters Posted August 5, 2013 #1 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Kieran Sorkin was born deaf and without any ears, just small lobes where his ears should be. Now specialist surgeons from Great Ormond Street Hospital are to carve the eight-year-old some ears using cartilage from six of his ribs. These will then be grafted onto his head during an operation next year. http://www.telegraph...m-his-ribs.html 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted August 5, 2013 #2 Share Posted August 5, 2013 If he ever gets married he'll want them removed again. Probably. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckys_Mom Posted August 5, 2013 #3 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Excellent news for the boy... I hope he gets this all sorted before he reaches high school.. If the kids at his current school tease him, I dread to think what teenagers would do... Some kids can be most cruel... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 5, 2013 #4 Share Posted August 5, 2013 In the early '70's there was a girl I went to school with who was born with only one ear, but she could hear on both sides. She had multiple surgeries to produce an outer ear over the years and almost always had a bandage over it. She was from a very poor family and until reading this I never thought about how her family could have afforded it. I know my husband's uncle had a rare form of cancer and received free medical treatment, because of the experimental drugs he allowed them to use...some with terrible side effects. Maybe it was the same with her...they were "practicing". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunn Posted August 5, 2013 #5 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Man we've come a long way in reconstruction surgery. It's hard to imagine someone's whole face being replaced these days, but it's almost a common thing now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Wearer of Hats Posted August 5, 2013 #6 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Science FTW!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannin Posted August 5, 2013 #7 Share Posted August 5, 2013 good for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReaperS_ParadoX Posted August 5, 2013 #8 Share Posted August 5, 2013 If he was born deaf how can they suddenly make him able to hear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 5, 2013 #9 Share Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) If he was born deaf how can they suddenly make him able to hear? They won't make him hear...he just wants to look normal. And maybe wear sunglasses...okay that was bad of me. lol Edited August 5, 2013 by Michelle 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReaperS_ParadoX Posted August 5, 2013 #10 Share Posted August 5, 2013 They won't make him hear...he just wants to look normal. And maybe wear sunglasses...okay that was bad of me. lol Oh so its just to look aesthetically pleasing, or if you want to go with so that he'll fit in with the other kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunn Posted August 5, 2013 #11 Share Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) I thought it mentioned something in the article that he could already hear. Or he had a hearing aid that was able to give him some hearing. Yep, sayz it right here......... The eight year-old has also undergone several operations and has gradually regained his hearing with the use of a hearing aid. Edited August 5, 2013 by Purifier 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 6, 2013 #12 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Oh so its just to look aesthetically pleasing, or if you want to go with so that he'll fit in with the other kids. That's what he said. If you have a problem with it take it up with him or his mom. I thought it mentioned something in the article that he could already hear. Or he had a hearing aid that was able to give him some hearing. Yep, sayz it right here......... My bad...I skimmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Likely Guy Posted August 6, 2013 #13 Share Posted August 6, 2013 If he has some form of hearing, building him some ears will not just be cosmetic. Real ears will give him almost stereo hearing (liken it to not just 'seeing', but having 'depth perception'). 'Kunstkopf', or 'dummy head' recording: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dummy_head_recording Ears are not just cosmetic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Likely Guy Posted August 6, 2013 #14 Share Posted August 6, 2013 For my point, this will help as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinna_(anatomy) Each ridge and fold in the human ear gives us directionality, or a third dimension in the auditory world. If young Kieran has any auditory ability and this works, I would love to see the look on his face! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puckmomma Posted August 6, 2013 #15 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Good Read! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted August 7, 2013 #16 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Are they going to use his spare rib? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoIverine Posted August 16, 2013 #17 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Wow, really? What ever happened to growing ears on mice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brlesq1 Posted August 18, 2013 #18 Share Posted August 18, 2013 I think it's great. More power to this kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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