Feel the Beat: Lyric’s Story

Tyanna and Marcus have a genuine love of music. Marcus is a professional musician, and the couple looked forward to sharing their passion for music with their baby daughter, aptly named Lyric, in keeping with her siblings’ names, Melody and Solo. So when, at 10 months old, Lyric was diagnosed with severe sensorineural hearing loss – permanent hearing loss caused by a condition affecting the inner ear – the couple was shocked and disheartened. At first, they grieved the loss of the life they’d planned for their daughter and all the music they thought she’d never hear. And then, they jumped into action. 

“It was like a fire was lit inside me,” says Tyanna. “I knew that we were going to be her advocates and make sure she had the best life no matter what.” 

Born at home, Lyric had a normal gestation and birth. Her early checkups were all normal, and neither parent had a family history of hearing loss. It wasn’t until Lyric began to experience some developmental delays – such as trouble sitting independently – that Tyanna began to suspect something was off.  

“The pediatrician wasn’t concerned,” she says. “So we thought Lyric would reach her milestones eventually.” 

However, Tyanna soon began to notice other signs for concern. Lyric didn’t startle at loud noises, such as the vacuum cleaner or even the smoke alarm. In fact, she only seemed to respond to sound when it was loud enough to feel the vibrations in her body – a truck rumbling by on the road, for example.  

The concerned parents took their child to a local children’s hospital for a hearing test, which resulted in Lyric’s initial diagnosis. Soon after, a family friend referred them to the Department of Audiology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where they were seen by Lesley Franklin, AuD. Lyric underwent a sedated auditory brainstem response (ABR) test, which measures a child’s hearing sensitivity while they are in a deep sleep and won’t make any movements that could interfere with the test results. Dr. Franklin confirmed Lyric’s diagnosis.  

“Lyric was 10 months old when we got to CHOP,” says Tyanna. “We haven’t looked back since.” 

Hearing sounds for the first time

Lyric’s hearing loss was severe, and doctors told the family she would likely be a candidate for a cochlear implant, an electronic device that can simulate natural hearing. The cochlear implant consists of two main parts: an internal device that is surgically implanted, and an external sound processor that is worn on the head. The external sound processer captures sound, converts it into an electronic signal, and then transmits this signal to the internal device. Inside the cochlea (which is the organ of hearing), electrodes directly stimulate the hearing nerve, which then carries the signal to the brain where it is processed as sound.  

At CHOP, children with sensorineural hearing loss who are being evaluated for cochlear implantation, and those who already use cochlear implants, are cared for by a multidisciplinary team of experts in the Cochlear Implant Program. This team of experts consists of otologists, audiologists, speech language pathologists, a child psychologist, a social worker, a neuropsychologist and an educational consultant. 

Before Lyric could undergo implantation of this hearing device, she would need hearing aids to learn about the sounds she would eventually hear through the implant. The family was also referred to Early Intervention (EI) for evaluation and support. Through EI, Tyanna and Marcus began to learn American Sign Language (ASL) in order to communicate with their daughter and give her access to language. 

The hearing aids offered Lyric’s first introduction to sound. Her reaction? “She was definitely startled,” says Tyanna. “A little disoriented. She couldn’t tell the difference between a knock on the door or running water.” Lyric’s parents began to teach her what sounds were and what caused them. Says her mom, “She definitely seemed more engaged with the world around her, but her hearing loss was so profound that the sounds were still muffled.” 

A new beginning

Lyric was 15 months old when she received her cochlear implant in a same-day outpatient procedure performed by CHOP otolaryngoloist, Luv Javia, MD. It took about four days for Lyric to fully recover at home, but she was soon up and moving again. A few weeks later, once the incisions were healed, the devices were activated, and Lyric was able to hear for the first time. “She could finally hear higher and lower frequencies,” says Tyanna. “She could hear whispering and bass. It was like starting over.” 

Though Lyric’s parents knew their daughter might not ever be able to fully enjoy music, they carefully introduced it to her. Fortunately, they quickly found that Lyric loved music, as well as dancing and singing! “She advocates for herself, too,” says Tyanna. “She tells us if a sound is too high or too loud.” 

Now 3, Lyric attends school in a classroom entirely comprised of Deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Through CHOP’s Center for Childhood Communication, she is seen by audiologist Michael Jackson, AuD, CCC-A, and speech-language pathologist Arielle Berne, MA, CCC-SLP. She also receives physical therapy and vestibular therapy to help her with the balance and spatial awareness challenges that can be associated with hearing loss. “She’s so resilient,” says Tyanna. “She overcomes every challenge with a smile.” 

Importantly, Tyanna notes that the implant is not a “fix” for her daughter’s hearing loss. “It’s a tool that gives her access to language.” Though Lyric now uses spoken language for communication, Tyanna and Marcus strive to celebrate their daughter’s identity and connection to the Deaf community. One way they do this is through continued use of ASL. “We sign every day.”  

An unexpected problem, a creative solution

One challenge of a cochlear implant relates to the magnet on the external processor. Lyric is an active child, and the magnet would sometimes fall off, resulting in Lyric being temporarily unable to hear.   

Tyanna says she didn’t want her daughter to experience that frustration, so she “put [her] mom brain on,” and got creative. 

“I’ve loved braiding and doing hair since I was young,” Tyanna says. “I do all my siblings’ and friends’ hair. So naturally I started doing my daughter’s hair as well.” 

On a mission to both celebrate Lyric’s cochlear implant and improve its functionality, Tyanna began to experiment with different hairstyles. The resulting styles not only allow the magnet to adhere but also enable Lyric to wear the fun, braided styles that she loves. 

When Tyanna shared these styles with her social media followers, the response was overwhelming. “So many parents and family members were reaching out, asking for resources. But I didn’t have any resources to share. So, I realized, ‘I guess I am the resource!’” 

Tyanna’s videos have continued to go viral, with one recently featured on Good Morning America. “When we first started on this journey, it felt so isolating,” she says. “Once our platform grew, I realized how many people are experiencing the same thing. I’ve been able to share what we’ve learned to help other families like ours.” 

Just like Lyric’s hairstyles, “it’s beautiful,” Tyanna says.