Imagine living your entire life in silence, and then hearing your mom’s voice for the very first time. How would you react? One little boy bursts into tears.
Fetuses develop the ability to hear just 18 weeks after conception, giving them ample time to get to intimately know the sound of their mother’s voice and all of its innuendos. Because of this, most babies are born with the ability to pick their mother’s voice out from a crowd. Most babies.
Dawson Shull is not most babies. Born with Cytomegalovirus, an infection contracted in the prenatal period and which causes loss of hearing in both ears, Dawson was deaf months before he was born. When he was born in May 2016, he was completely deaf in both ears. He would live nearly the first year of his life in silence.
But then his parents decided to get him cochlear implants, which replace the function of a damaged inner ear and allow him to hear. When they are properly fitted, his reaction to hearing for the first time is adorable. And his reaction to hearing his mom’s voice for the very first time? Priceless.
Mom, Jessica Shull, was as excited as any new mother would be at the prospect of her son having his hearing back. After slowly introducing him to the sounds of the world – namely, Mickey and Minnie Mouse – Jessica decided it was her turn. But she could not have prepared for Dawson’s reaction.
Overcome with emotion at hearing Mom’s voice for the first time, Dawson bursts into tears, leaving us to wonder if he was able to get to know Jessica’s voice at least a little bit before contracting Cytomegalovirus and going deaf in the womb.
After a few minutes, Dawson is able to calm down and enjoy his newfound hearing.
Jessica says that his life is completely changed, and the potential he’s demonstrated since having his hearing restored is amazing.
“He now plays on his xylophone and piano for hours intrigued by the sound,” she said. ‘This is such a huge step forward for Dawson. Before the implants, we thought Dawson would never talk and now his future looks entirely different.”
A baby’s first year is a hugely developmental period. Being unable to hear directly affects a baby’s ability to do other things, such as speak, learn their own name, and follow directions. Which is why it is so heartwarming to hear that Dawson is hitting all of his milestones and then some.
This video captures the truly heartwarming moment between a baby and his mom. Deaf before his was born, Dawson is amazed by all the sounds of the world. Like every baby, however, the most amazing sound of all is the sound of his mother’s voice.
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