The sound of her mother 's voice has made a previously deaf three-year-old New York City girl dance with delight . Kennedy Steele , who had never heard her mother before because she was born without auditory nerves , busted out her joyous dance moves after surgery at NYU 's Langone Medical Center . She had an experimental procedure at the hospital that installed an auditory brainstem implant . Scroll down for video . Kennedy Steele , three , did a happy dance after she was able to hear her mother 's voice for the very first time . The young New York girl had previously been deaf because she was born without auditory nerves . She was able to hear after undergoing an experimental procedure at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York . The implant now bypasses what 's missing in her inner ear , according to CBS News . The FDA approved testing of the implant on children at Langone in New York and three other hospitals in Massachusetts , California and North Carolina . Some older patients can already receive the implant . Mom Nickia Steele said : 'It 's something I 've been looking forward to for a long time . 'My family is looking forward to getting to communicate better with her . 'That 's been the most important thing . ' Doctors will follow Kennedy 's progress for the next five years to see how her speech capabilities progress . The auditory brainstem implant , which is being tested in children , now bypasses what 's missing in her inner ear . Implant is being tested in children in New York and at hospitals in Massachusetts , California and North Carolina . Doctors will follow Kennedy 's progress for five years to see how her speech capabilities progress . It 's unclear if the experience of hearing sounds will allow Kennedy 's brain to understand language and get her talking , WCAX reported . Dr J Thomas Roland of Langone called the results 'quite encouraging ' . He said : 'We think that these kids are getting auditory information and are on a trajectory to develop oral language acquisition and oral speech . '
Kennedy Steele was always deaf after being born without auditory nerves . Comment: Little girl had operation at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City . Doctors will track Kennedy for five years to see how her speech develops .