Poplar Bluff boy receives hearing aids, can now hear clearly for first time

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KBSI) – Braxton Elder’s mother Jordan Dye couldn’t quite put a finger on why her son wasn’t progressing in school as quickly as she’d hoped. 

“He struggled really hard with it, like I could tell him multiple different ways, and I looked up different ways to teach kids how to read, and it wasn’t working,” she said. “I was like, ‘What am I doing wrong? Like, are you paying attention? What’s going on?’” 

As it turns out, 7-year-old Braxton had a hearing problem, and Wednesday afternoon, he received a set of hearing aids at Miracle-Ear in Poplar Bluff. 

“I’m relieved that he can hear better now,” Dye said.

Tom Wright, who fitted Braxton for the hearing aids, said catching a hearing problem early is far better than the alternative. 

“Unfortunately, a lot of kids end up in junior high or high school, and they’ve got a hearing problem, and they haven’t been making the grades that they would have otherwise, and it just makes things more stressful and harder for them, and kids have it hard enough nowadays as it is,” he said.

Wright admitted that his job is not the most exciting thing in the world from the outside looking in, but when kids like Braxton are excited about being able to hear clearly, that’s what it’s all about.  

“It’s so nice when they’re involved because when they’re involved on that level, I know that they’re going to have a good outcome,” Wright said. “Kids are just, ‘Hey, I hear better! This is awesome!’ And then they’re excited about it, and it makes it all worth it.”