The sound of rain hitting the window may not be a transcendental event for most people, but for wide-eyed toddler and cochlear implant user María Alejandra Larred, it makes her shout at the top of her lungs, "Agua!" (Water!) eliciting a resounding cheer from all present. Unfortunately, this scene of aural awakening is out of reach for many hearing impaired children, particularly in developing countries.

Globally, in 2000, an estimated 62 million children under age 15 years had some degree of hearing loss, two-thirds of them in low- and middle-income countries.[1,2] Hearing loss is measured in decibels and categorized as mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe, and profound, according to an algorithmic scale. However, these categories may not accurately reflect real-life challenges a child faces. Severe and profound hearing loss may mean complete social isolation, limiting a child’s opportunities and quality of life.[3,4]