A little about hearing and balance...

I'm trying to include research and educational materials in our blog as I find them. This video explains how we hear. At about 36 seconds, it talks about the hair cells. Those hair cells are what do not work in Audrena's ears, and it's called sensorineural hearing loss. Cochlear implants bypass those damaged hair cells by threading electrodes through that snail-shell shaped cochlea, delivering signals to the auditory nerve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTiGskc1o48&feature=related

This video shows the ear structure, including the cochlea and the vestibular system. Audrena is missing the Posterior and the Lateral Semicircular Canals. She only has the Anterior Semicircular Canal, the one that sticks up on the top. This is the reason for her lack of balance and why she is late to walk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=WDfynsIk0PI&noredirect=1

Thank you to the posters of these Youtube videos!