Innovative Bone Conduction Headset Transforms Lives of Children with Glue Ear: A Remarkable Journey

A groundbreaking bone conduction headset, initially trialled on Year 8 student Delilah O’Riordan who suffered from persistent glue ear and subsequent deafness, is now available to children worldwide. The innovative device, born out of a study led by Dr Tamsin Holland Brown, has revolutionised the way children with glue ear experience sound, enabling them to hear without the need for surgery.

Delilah’s struggle with hearing difficulties impacted her early life, especially at school. However, Dr Holland Brown, an audiologist in Cambridge, included her in the headset study and the results were life-changing. Delilah affectionately named the device her "extendable ear," inspired by Harry Potter, and has since become an ardent advocate for other children to benefit from this non-invasive solution.

Dr Holland Brown, who spearheaded the research, has featured Delilah as the face of her campaign. Their collaborative efforts have garnered significant recognition, including awards for innovative research. Together, they co-authored an article drawing an analogy between a wizard living in a muggle world and a child with deafness living in a hearing world. The piece, highlighting Delilah’s extendable ear concept, was published in the British Medical Journal earlier this year with Delilah as the first author.

Delilah’s advocacy extended to recording a speech for medical conferences, presented as part of Dr Holland Brown’s presentations. Remarkably, on the night of her school dance show, Delilah’s virtual presence was felt at the NHS conference for Innovation while she performed on stage. This powerful video is now featured on several NHS websites, demonstrating the headset’s impact.

The non-profit manufacturing of the headset has been completed, and it is now available for purchase with plans for a launch party, celebrating this milestone achievement, well underway. The headset's reach has also extended to Africa, where it has helped children previously thought to be profoundly deaf to hear for the first time.

A Performing Arts and Academic Scholar, Delilah already has an impressive list of stage and screen credits to her name; most recently starring as Lily PotterJnr in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre in the West End.

Proud mum, Dr Michelle O’Riordan, said: "Delilah’s achievements in the performing arts and academically are all the more impressive when you know what she has had to overcome. She will always be grateful to Tamsin for changing her life."