She was born with hearing but lost her, she has a cochlear implant and she is now a passionate filmmaker

Bárbara Borello Castillo He was 3 years old when he contracted a rubella that severely affected his hearing system, resulting in 80% hearing loss. From that day, the little girl lived another four years without being able to listen, understand the teacher, identify the sounds, enjoy the birds singing or a simple melody.. At the age of 7, he received his first hearing aids and at age 29 he decided to acquire the cochlear implant that changed his life.

Since the French doctors André Djourno and Charles Eyrés have inserted for the first time into a patient's ear a copper wire, allowing him to perceive the rhythm of the language, Every 25 February (date of implantation), the International Day of Cochlear Implantation is commemorated.

Hearing disability accounts for 18% of all disabilities in Argentina, where between 750 and 2,250 children are born with these problems each year. A problem that affects 5% of the world's population. In Argentinahearing aids for permanent internal use, such as the cochlear implant, they are part of the mandatory medical program (PMO). Those who are unionized or who have prepaid social work must receive 100% of the coverage.

"I got implanted a year ago and I regret not having done it before, it's later in my life," he commented. Infobae Bárbara Borello Castillo. Despite the fact that she is now a young woman of 30 years with projects and dreams to realize, her childhood and adolescence were difficult: "I was born with a normal hearing and it is more difficult emotionally because we have the impression that everything is happening. I was aware of my problem and I used violence so that they would listen to me or talk to me and, by performing an badysis, the children turn their heads to look at me, I tried to communicate, to make myself understood. "

And in children, hearing is the key to learning the spoken language, performing well in school, and interacting socially. This is why the hard of hearing have trouble managing these processes. However, they could benefit enormously from early diagnosis and the right equipment at the right time.

"When I was seven years old, I was officially diagnosed with hearing loss and started using hearing aids, and I did not listen very much to it, compared to the previous one. I understood the sounds a lot, because I had primary and secondary hearing aids, it was a bit difficult because the people misunderstood, he continues and thinks that they are judging him all the time, "he said. pointed out the young woman.

At age 18, Barbara studies to become a filmmaker and realizes how difficult it is to be a young deaf person in a clbad of over 100 people. "It was the first time that I was facing my limits, with today a much more adult and objective look.I know that college and university clbadrooms need to be prepared for hearing impaired students because it is very difficult to follow them without being able to see the teacher's face, for example, "he said. Borello Castillo.

Driven by her experiences, Barbara decided that she wanted to show the world what she was feeling and show it on the big screen. "I wanted to say something, I did not know what, the idea appeared on the day of the birthday of a friend, where I could not adapt, the hearing loss generates this, it is as if we were completing with the mind what we do not intend to write and the idea that triggered in Claramente, a short film with Benjamin Rojas and Candela Vetrano, "said the filmmaker.

In this context, the young woman has written a scenario in which she invites the public to live and to feel how a hard-of-hearing person listens: "Clearly Its aim is to bring this condition, which is not visible, to the general public and to make sure that the person can get into each other 's ears, know his fears, his insecurities and so be able to see him. to involve in his problems ".

The lack of information, the major problem of hearing loss

The young woman was four years old until she was officially diagnosed. "The information has been sent and it should not happen, I think it's essential to understand in order to lose fear," Barbara said.

The young woman is also working as a photographer and is currently preparing a film about the problem of the cochlear implant, a before and after in her life. "I want to do this film that tells a little about the fears I felt and that most non-listeners would meet when they said yes to surgery, I wanted to help them and tell them that it was the best decision to make, "said the director. the cinema.

Today, the young woman appreciates each sound, understands the lyrics of the songs and even differentiates each instrument. His life has changed and he wants to convey to his profession how a person with a hearing loss feels. The message is simple: "Speak, inform yourself, avoid the fear that everything is going well".