With sensorineural hearing loss, sound waves make their way efficiently through the outer and middle ear – just as they do in normal hearing – but then become too soft to detect or too distorted to recognise easily, as a result of damage to the inner ear.
Unlike hearing aids, cochlear implants bypass damaged parts of the inner ear to stimulate the hearing nerve, not with sound waves or vibration, but with precise electrical signals.
Cochlear implant recipients who still benefit from hearing aids may be able to benefit from hybrid hearing – a unique combination of cochlear implant and acoustic hearing, and this is what model and entrepreneur from Ghana, Afi Antonio is doing with her “Afi Antonio Foundation” to help little Chogtaa regain her happiness at a tender age.
Little Chogtaa enjoys her Ice CreamRebecca Chogtaa Dumeh, the blue-eyed toddler cum model – has a rare genetic disorder called Waardenburg syndrome. She has since been modeling to help raise funds for surgery to treat her hearing loss associated with the defect.After organizing the first autism talent show in the capital, the Afi Antonio Foundation is hoping to further raise more funds to support Chogtaa.
