Deaf toddler‘s adorable reaction to hearing for the first time after surgery when tears suddenly give way to smiles

Reyn Schadt, 16 months, was born deaf but cochlear implant let her hear
The toddler from Louisville, Kentucky, had the congenital CMV virus
Audiologist Shelly Moats fitted her with implant to bypass damaged nerve
Reyn’s mother Courtney Schadt said her little girl ‘blossomed’ as a result

By Harriet Arkell Daily Mail PUBLISHED: 24 July 2013

A toddler who was born deaf burst into tears and then grinned incredulously after an implant that allowed her to hear was turned on for the first time.

Little Reyn Schadt, 16 months, was initially overwhelmed by the new sensation of sound, and flung herself into her mother’s neck.

But as her parents wept with joy, her panic turned to happiness as she realised she could hear for the very first time.

Scroll down for video

Reyn Schadt, 16 months, was so overwhelmed when she heard for the first time that she burst into tears

And then the little girl beamed with delight as she realised she could hear the world around her for the first time

The adorable toddler from Louisville, Kentucky, was born with a virus called CMV (cytomegalovirus) which caused hearing loss.

Her mother, Courtney Schadt, who said she was shocked to learn her baby daughter couldn’t hear when she was born, was introduced to Shelly Moats, a Louisville audiologist, who said that a cochlear implant could help bypass the damaged nerve in Reyn’s ears and allow her to hear.

After the surgery, Reyn was invited to the doctor’s practice to be fitted with the microphone and transmitter which would allow the implant to work.

Then it was time for Dr Moats to turn the device on.

As Reyn’s parents sat nervously, Mrs Schadt with the little girl on her lap, Dr Moats turned the implant on via her computer.

Reyn’s eyes widened with surprise at the new sounds and vibration, and she turned to her mother in panic.

But this was just the reaction the doctor and Reyn’s parents had been hoping for, because it showed the little girl was hearing.

Audiologist Shelly Moats prepares to turn the implant on while Reyn’s mother Courtney looks tense

Life-changing device: Reyn wears the external part of her new implant on her ear and in her hair

As she adjusted to hearing for the first time, she grinned and then beamed with delight as she looked around her new, 3D world.

Mrs Schadt told WDRB.com: ‘It’s a very, very exciting day for me because I’ve met children who have cochlear implants who are older than her and that has been the most exciting thing for me.’

Two months later, the toddler’s implants reported that the little girl had blossomed since the device had fitted, and that she now enjoyed singing songs and nursery rhymes with her mother.

So happy: Reyn’s parents say she has blossomed since having her implant fitted and now enjoys singing songs