Yes, there is a ray of hope for those who were born deaf. Yes you heard right. With gene therapy treatment a kid has been able to hear words for the first time.

This treatment has been conducted on a boy from Spain named Aissam Dam. This kid was born with inherited deafness to hear. It was conducted in Children’s hospital of Philadelphia. This test was conducted by one of the subsidiary of Eli Lilly known as Akouos. In his own words Dr. John Germiller director of clinical research for CHOP's otolaryngology division “What we have really accomplished is exciting because it's the first time hearing has been restored in a child — really in a human being — for a hereditary type of hearing loss”.

In patients like Aissam, a defective gene prevents the production of otoferlin, a protein necessary for the "hair cells" of the inner ear to be able to convert sound vibrations into chemical signals that are sent to the brain. Otoferlin gene defects are highly rare, accounting for 1 - 8 percent of hearing loss present from birth.

On October 4, 2023, he underwent a surgical procedure that involved partly lifting his eardrum and then injecting a harmless virus, which had been modified to transport working copies of the otoferlin gene, into the internal fluid of his cochlea.

As a result, the hair cells began making the missing protein and functioning properly.

Almost four months since receiving the treatment in one ear, Aissam's hearing has improved to the point he only has mild-to-moderate hearing loss and he is "literally hearing sound for the first time in his life," said the statement.

 

We “Premium digital Hearing Aid – Speech and Hearing Clinic” congratulates and applauds this whole brave and skillful treatment.