Deaf Toddler Hears After Gene Therapy Treatment
Deaf Toddler CanHears Hear After Gene Therapy Treatment
The Facts
18-month-old Opal Sandy from Oxfordshire, England, who was born deaf can now hear "almost normal for her age", including "soft sounds (like a soft whisper)" thanks to a new gene therapy called DB-OTO.
18-month-old Opal Sandy from Oxfordshire, England, who was born deaf due to defective OTOF genes, can now hear "almost normal for her age", including "soft sounds (like a soft whisper)" thanks to a new gene therapy called DB-OTO.
The Spin
Recent gene therapy breakthroughs are not only exciting because they're helping children hear, but because these studies have resulted in no adverse effects. As scientists continue to cure deafness for these rare genetic disorders, these results will hopefully help further research for hearing-impaired people around the world.
These treatments, unfortunately, seem to be fully effective just for those born recently. Whether for deafness, muscular atrophy, or any disorder, current gene therapies for older people can only slightly mitigate the symptoms that have set in over long periods. More research should be conducted into fixing these disorders at all stages.
