Mississippi Medical News Spotlight's Board Member

Jeffery Carron , MD was recently featured in the Mississippi Medical News.  From all of us at Magnolia Speech School we would like Congratulate and Thank him for his service to both the school and the community!

Read the Complete article at Mississippi Medical News.

Student Featured in Real Women of MS

Feature written by Christi Chandler, www.realwomenofms.com

The first day of school is coming early this year for Addison Barksdale. It’s such an exciting time for parents to prepare for the big day, but for Addison’s mother, Shannon, the supply list reads much differently than: notebook, pencils, crayons… 

“Basically in order to prepare for Addison’s first day of school we’ve been in speech therapy close to a year now and we, of course, have to have her hearing aids ready as well,” Shannon says.

This doesn’t sound like the average Wal-Mart shopping list for back to school.  You see, Addison was born with an Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct (EVA), resulting in hearing loss so this month will be Addison’s first day of school at Magnolia Speech School. 

Our second daughter, Addison, was born on October 15, 2008.  I will always remember the first time I held her in my arms, and I will never forget the day we were leaving the hospital to bring her home.  My husband, Andy, our oldest daughter, Olivia and my parents were in the room packing our bags, excited about bringing Addison home.  The neonatologist came into our room to release us and that is when we learned that Addison did not pass her hearing test.  

I think about what the doctor said often – “I would not worry about this at all, it is probably just fluid in her ears.  Bring her back in two days and they will do another hearing test – this does not happen to many babies that are born in THIS hospital.  I am sure she will be fine.”  My eyes filled with tears and my heart was so heavy with fear.  Please don’t let this precious and innocent baby have to face being deaf. 

I brought Addison back to the hospital two days later, and she did not pass the test.  Two more days later we were back for her third test – and she did not pass.  We were referred to an audiologist who would perform an ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) test on Addison.  This is a test that uses electrodes (wires) attached with adhesive to the baby’s scalp.  While the baby sleeps, clicking sounds are made through tiny earphones in the baby’s ears.  The test measures the brain’s activity in response to the sounds.   

I arrived early to our appointment with the audiologist and gave Addison a bottle hoping that she would sleep through the test.  As she lay in my arms with the electrodes on her tiny head, I fought back the tears and tried to find a way to be positive.  I could no longer hold my tears when the audiologist told me that Addison did not pass the hearing test.  A part of me just knew that she would pass her test.  Every time I closed the microwave door, she jumped.  If I clapped my hands, she would look.  Why didn’t she pass her test?  What did I do wrong?  And what were we going to do now? 

The audiologist referred us to several doctors, audiologists, speech therapists, Mississippi School for the Deaf, and Magnolia Speech School.  How were we going to make all of these decisions?  What if we did not choose the right people to care for Addison? 

I called a good friend, Dr. Andrea Furr Lewis, who referred us to Dr. Carron, an ENT at UMC, and Dr Kathy Irving, an audiologist at UMC.  We made an appointment with  Dr. Carron and Dr. Irving.  I knew we were in the right place when we had our first meeting with them!  Dr. Irving performed another hearing test on Addison and again, she failed.  Dr. Carron then met with us, went over the results and we decided that it would be best to perform an MRI on Addison to try and find out what was causing her hearing loss. 

Addison was asleep in my arms at the appointment and Dr. Carron asked if I thought she would sleep for 30 more minutes.  We decided to do the MRI and five minutes later my baby was laying on the machine and her little body was going in that tunnel.  The fear was back.  What would they find?  Would she fall off the machine?  Would she wake up during the test and get scared?  Why couldn’t I fix this for her?  The test was over – she didn’t fall off the machine and she didn’t wake up.  

Once in Dr. Carron’s office and we learned that Addison’s hearing loss is due to an Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct (EVA).  Basically, EVA means that the channel connecting the inner ear and a cranial space has become larger than normal. Currently, no treatments can reverse or stop the progression of hearing and/or Vestibular losses from EVA.  Hearing aids or cochlear implantation may help.  Often the hearing loss will progress early in life, or progress may be in a sudden sometimes resulting in deafness.  To reduce the likelihood of progression of hearing loss, individuals with EVA are advised avoid contact sports, wear head protection when engaged in activities that might lead to head injury (such as bicycle riding or skiing), and avoid situations that can lead to extreme, rapid changes in pressure (such as airplanes or roller coaster rides). 

That day, when Addison was only two months old, she was fitted for hearing aids.  I couldn’t believe it.  This was real.  I cried for Addison many times.  Why did she have to wear hearing aids?  Were kids going to make fun of her?  Would she talk funny?  Would she look at her older sister and wonder why she couldn’t be like her?  The unknown was, and is still, very scary.  

We began speech therapy with  Magnolia Speech School at the beginning of last year, and what a blessing they have been.  Not only do they help your child – they love and care deeply for your child.  Magnolia Speech School is such an inspiration to me, and I am thankful that Addison is able to be a part of this wonderful school. 

Addison is now a year old, and what a joy she is!  Her hearing levels have remained the same as they were at birth and for that, I am very thankful.  I do not know what the future holds for Addison, but I do know that we can get through it with God and a strong support system of family and friends.  I am still humbled by the care and concern we have received from our friends and family.  This time in my life has taught me that you have to face your fears, you need your friends and family to help you – and there is no way you can get through it without God.  As long as God has a deep presence in your heart, you will deep hope in your life.  

 Magnolia Speech School exists to teach children with severe communicative disorders to listen and understand, to speak and be understood, to learn and thrive.   They are committed to enabling every student enrolled to become self-sufficient, independent and productive members of their community. Their program’s objectives target each child’s deficits in communication and close “the gap” that lies between them and their typical peers.