I have to admit that like most people, there are certain things I take for granted. While I do struggle with some health problems due to chronic illness, I can still see, hear, walk, and talk. For myself, it’s difficult to imagine what life would be like if one of those things was suddenly taken away from me.
But, there are people that live without these things all the time. Fortunately, advances in technology have allowed some of those folks to gain back something that they thought was lost forever. Five-year-old Judah Bittner wasn’t able to speak because of his paralyzed larynx, but a device called the electrolarynx changed everything for this little boy.
Judah and his sister, Annikah, were born 24 weeks early and each weighed just over a pound at birth. Doctors didn’t expect them to live at all, but the infants proved to be fighters and survived despite the odds.
Like many preemies, Judah suffers from many health problems. In 2015 he was hospitalized for several months. Struggling to stay alive, the toddler was given a tracheotomy tube to help him breathe. Unfortunately, the tube that saved his life also damaged Judah’s vocal cords, leaving them paralyzed. Since then, he hasn’t been able to use his voice.
Jessica and Mike Bittner adopted Judah and his sister and are determined to help all of their adopted children thrive as much as they can. At five-years-old, Judah was introduced to the electrolarynx device which allowed him to speak for the first time.
Though he was initially hesitant at finally hearing his own voice, the smile on his face revealed his true happiness. His huge smile lit up the entire room and the video of the event has since gone viral.
His mom shared Judah’s progress with the new device on social media:
“Judah bug is slowly getting used to using his ‘voice box’ or ‘buzzer’! His kindergarten classmates encourage him to use it —which helps! We are still looking to have Judah go through surgeries that would reconstruct his airway. Once his airway is stable and can support his breathing we may be able to remove the trach! And then, finally, we can have the necessary procedures done to try to fix his vocal cord paralysis. It’s a long journey! But he’s a champion! Most electrolarynx users are older than Judah bug. He’s a unique case!”
Watch Judah’s heartwarming first words in the video below!