When 2-year-old Josuad arrived at the Shriners Children’s Texas cleft clinic, he had never heard the world around him. Born with a rare horizontal cleft and underdeveloped ear canals, he faced significant challenges with both hearing and speech.
A small adhesive adapter placed behind the ear gently sends vibrations through the bone to stimulate the cochlea, allowing sound to be transmitted clearly.
But at Shriners Children’s, Josuad found more than care — he found a team of specialists using innovative technologies. Speech-language pathologist Rachel Hogan, MA, CCC-SLP, and the multi- disciplinary cleft lip and palate team developed a plan that addressed Josuad’s immediate hearing needs while preserving options for future reconstructive surgery.
Pediatric plastic surgeon Phileemon Payne, M.D., ensured that tissue critical for later ear reconstruction would remain intact, expertly balancing the art of facial reconstruction with the science of hearing restoration.
With a new hearing device, Josuad was able to hear his mother’s voice for the first time at age 2.
Enter the magic of cutting-edge technology. Otolaryngologist Joseph Edmonds, M.D., discovered that Josuad’s inner ear structures were intact — making him a perfect candidate for bone-conduction hearing technology. The team turned to ADHEAR, a safe, nonsurgical hearing solution. Unlike traditional hearing aids that require surgery or tight headbands, ADHEAR uses a small adhesive adapter placed behind the ear. The adapter gently sends vibrations through the bone to stimulate the cochlea, allowing sound to be transmitted clearly.
The device account manager Lauren Aguilarte guided Josuad and his mother through every step— fitting the device and demonstrating how to use it at home. Now, for the very first time, Josuad can hear his mother’s voice, respond to sounds around him and develop speech during a critical window of brain growth — all thanks to the innovative, life-changing work happening at Shriners Children’s.
At Shriners Children’s, advanced technology meets unmatched expertise, giving kids like Josuad not just care, but the chance to experience the world fully.
