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Team develops custom glasses for boy without an ear

Shared by Ana Ribeiro on 2021-01-17 22:23

About the solution

Bentley was born with microtia, a condition which prevent the complete formation of the ears. He also suffers from vision problems but, due to his ear deformity, his mother Kris couldn’t find glasses for him - all the glasses available required the frame to be placed on both ears. After endless search, his mom decided to take matter into her own hands: "I did what all moms do, I thought I could fix this and I bought $250 worth of crafting supplies and tried to "mom engineer" something".

But her solution wasn’t ideal so she decided to ask for help at the Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Hospital. Their department of Orthotics, Prosthetics and Seating specializes in creating customized devices to help their patients overcome their challenges. So, for Bentley, they created a customized piece that would hold his glasses while also fitting perfectly around his shunt and hearing aid and that sits comfortably over his head.

"It’s great to help a kid like Bentley achieve something as simple as wearing glasses, an ability many of us take for granted”, said Bradley Fisher, manager of the department.

Bentley immediately gave his seal of approval. When asked if he liked them and was seeing better he just said: “Yeah!”

Adapted from: https://abcnews.go.com/US/childrens-prosthetics-company-creates-custom-g...

This solution shall not include mention to the use of drugs, chemicals or biologicals (including food); invasive devices; offensive, commercial or inherently dangerous content. This solution was not medically validated. Proceed with caution! If you have any doubts, please consult with a health professional.

DISCLAIMER: This story was written by someone who is not the author of the solution, therefore please be advised that, although it was written with the utmost respect for the innovation and the innovator, there can be some incorrect statements. If you find any errors please contact the patient Innovation team via info@patient-innovation.com

About the author

Kris Erikson couldn’t find a pair of glasses for her son Bentley who, due to his microtia, had an ear that hadn’t fully developed. After trying to come up with her own solution, she turned to the Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Hospital for help, where they built a costumized strap system for Bentley to be able to wear his glasses.

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