Derrick Coleman , who plays fullback for the Seattle Seahawks, was born with a genetic mutation that caused his deafness since he was a toddler. Even with powerful hearing aids, he still needs to lip-read in order to understand what is being said. [ link ] Although the exact genetic mutation is not known thru media reports, it is most likely a connexin 26 mutation which is the most common genetic cause for early onset hearing loss and can be tested for through a simple blood draw. He is a…
