+27 (12) 333-3130
info@hearingloss.org.za
Deafness in Children – The assessment of auditory functions and development of life skills
The period from birth to 5 years of life is very important for speech and language development, therefore, there is a need for early identification and early hearing loss and rehabilitation in infants and children.
It is important to know the degree and type of hearing loss. The goal of rehabilitation of every child with hearing loss is the development of speaking and language skills, adjustments in society and useful employment in a vocation.
Willem Malan Cochlear Implant Journey
30-year-old Willem Malan was diagnosed with a genetic disorder, called CMT, which is believed to be the cause of his hearing loss.
According to his parents he could hear certain sounds during his childhood, but was diagnosed with hearing loss at the age of 7 years and received his first hearing aids at the age of 9 years.
Although he was dependant on his hearing aids, his hearing loss unfortunately deteriorated over the years. Because of his progressive hearing loss, Willem does not receive benefit from his hearing aids any longer and was approved for a cochlear implant. His device was switched on, on 20 June when he heard sound for the first time via a cochlear implant.
Thanks to the financial support from Studex SA, Willem received the Gift of Hearing on 20 May 2019.
Watch: The girl with blue eyes has her hearing aid switched on for first time
A little girl with the most piercing blue eyes has started a meaningful conversation; now we get to see the start of her incredible journey!
Pretoria, South Africa – Florence Ziniel and her daughter Chogtaa are from Ghana. Chogtaa was born with a rare genetic disorder called Waardenburg syndrome which means that she has ice blue eyes but is also deaf.
Waardenburg syndrome is a rare genetic disorder most often characterised by varying degrees of deafness, minor defects in structures arising from the neural crest, and pigmentation changes. It was first described in 1951.
Florence worked hard to raise funds, despite all the misinformation and fear-mongering they faced, to get her daughter a cochlear implant, in the hopes that helping her hear, would help get her ahead in life. Florence and Chogtaa were assisted by the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss in Southern Africa.
The foundation is a non-profit that works to help children in South Africa and internationally. They launched their first project, Eduplex.
After hearing Chogtaa’s story, Eduplex immediately offered her a fully-funded place in their school where she will learn to speak. The first video they shared spoke of Chogtaa and Florence’s journey to South Africa, now they have shared an update showing Chogtaa’s first time hearing.
They joined forces with “The Oakes Collective” to create a video to tell her story, and change the idea behind “the girl with blue eyes”.
Take a look at the life-changing moment below. PS: Grab a few tissues because we cried like babies watching this!
It is now more critical than ever that Chogtaa gets a chance to learn at a school that is catered to her needs.
The school is appealing to anyone for help as now that Chogtaa is ready to start learning, being in a critical stage of her life, they need to get Florence settled into South Africa. She needs help with obtaining the correct visa to live here while Chogtaa gets the much-needed education she deserves.
If you can offer any assistance, you can contact Erika Basson via email or call them on +27 (0) 12 333 3130.
Hearing miracle in Pretoria for girl (2) born with rare syndrome.
The implanted device will be switched on for the first time on 15 March allowing the toddler to hear sound for the first time.
The cochlear operation on a two-year-old Ghanian girl at the Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital in Muckleneuk was successful.
Chogtaa Dumeh from northern Ghana was born with a rare condition, Waardenburg syndrome type two, which was also the cause of profound hearing loss in both her ears.
Waardenburg syndrome is also characterised by varying degrees of depigmentation of the eyes.
The operation was done in South Africa because it was is not available in her country.
She was due to have her bandages removed on Monday.
The head of the cochlear implant division of the Ear Institute in Pretoria Dr. Catherine van Dijk described the procedure as a success, adding she had received a good reading in theatre.
After the operation Chogtaa’s mother, Florence Ziniel said she was very relieved that the operation was such a huge success.
“I am extremely grateful for all the support we have received so far to have made this miracle operation possible,” she said.
She said she was very positive about a future in South Africa that would provide her little girl with the best opportunities concerning her circumstances.
The implanted device will be switched on for the first time on 15 March allowing the toddler to hear sound for the first time.
An intensive rehabilitation process of a minimum of six to nine months would follow, consisting of speech and language therapy as well as regular programming of the device as her brain adapts to sound.
The operation was made possible by the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss in SA who raised funds – and received donations from generous individual donors as well as Studex South Africa, community chest of the Western Cape and Isa Gold.
Other sponsors were: Afi Antonio and her foundation in Ghana received donations from donors across Africa; St Raphael Catholic Church Lashibi in Ghana; and Doctors and Hospital Discounts (Zuid Afrikaans Hospital).
Erika Basson manager of the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss would assist Chogtaa and her mother to get permanent residence in South Africa in order for Chogtaa to receive the best audiological management for a better future with her cochlear implant.
“We are also aiming to start raising funds for Chogtaa’s second implant – the goal is to receive the second implant early in 2020,” she said.
Basson said a bursary placement has been secured for Chogtaa at a mainstream school in Pretoria, the Eduplex, which catered for deaf children with assistive devices.
Chogtaa will receive quality mainstream education including the required speech and language therapy, audiology management, as well as parent guidance for her mother as long as she attended this school.
The Ear Institute in Pretoria promised to assist Chogtaa with future repairs on her cochlear implant device when needed, including the programming of her device on a regular basis.
Cochlear implant at Club Surgical Centre brings hope and hearing to nine-year-old
Cochlear implant at Club Surgical Centre brings hope and hearing to nine-year-old
Mulweli Makhuvha is living in a world of silence. Suffering from cochlear dysfunction, the nine-year-old hears very little, even with his hearing aids – not his mother’s voice, nor the bark of a pet or a single note of music.
Advanced ear surgery at a day hospital
But all this is about to change. Young Mulweli is due to be the first recipient of a cochlear implant performed in a daycare hospital in Pretoria, courtesy of pioneering ear, nose and throat specialist, Dr. Jannet Izeboud, at Club Surgical Centre in Hazelwood, Pretoria. Says Izeboud, “Medical technology has advanced exponentially since the first cochlear implant was performed. In fact, cochlear implants have become a reasonably straightforward procedure. It is these strides that have enabled us to where we are today: quite literally making history.”
From the word go, says Izeboud, she and her team were confident that they could successfully complete the procedure. “It was our vision to accomplish this life-changing surgery for Mulweli at a substantially reduced fee and with a minimum of trauma for a child of such tender years,” she explains.
Generosity to a tee
Even given this concession, the operation would have amounted to R95 000, as well as a R10 000 hospital co-payment – an amount the Makhuvas could ill afford but for an outstanding charity, an incredible event and a gathering of great givers. Last week, Forever Resorts SA held their annual golf day at Blue Valley Golf and Country Club in Midrand, with the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss in South Africa as their charity beneficiary for the year. The event entailed, amongst other things, an auction and a variety of sponsorships, all of which yielded sufficient funds to cover three cochlear implants for children, one of which is Mulweli.
Infinite gratitude
Mulweli’s mother was and remains overjoyed at the prospect. “We are so grateful that Mulweli will soon be able to hear my voice, listen to the joyous sounds of our church choir and even such everyday sounds such as hooters,” she says. “This is a miracle for our family and words cannot express how blessed we feel.”
Beacon of hope for the future
“Mulweli may be the first cochlear implant patient in our daycare facilities, but he will most certainly not be our last,” concludes Club Surgical founding member and esteemed plastic surgeon, Dr. Japie de Wet. “It has always been our ethos that Club Surgical would become a beacon of hope and light for the many patients that are yet to enter its doors.”
Community Chest Impumelelo Social Innovations Awards 2018
It was indeed a full house at the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town – at the Community Chest Impumelelo Social Innovations Awards evening on the 28th of November 2018.
We are extremely humble and proud for the Future Investment Award we received, and would like to sincerely thank Community Chest of the Western Cape for acknowledging the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss in SA’s hard work and for believing in the GIFT OF HEARING!
Congratulations to all the award winners, keep up the good work to change lives!
YouTube Video: Community Chest Impumelelo Social Innovations Awards 2018
The Community Chest Impumelelo Social Innovations Awards is a leading awards programme for innovators who find creative solutions to public problems. The Awards programme celebrates extraordinary individuals who find these creative and innovative ways to solve public problems in South Africa and makes a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
The Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss in Southern Africa was selected and nominated and received an excellence capacity building package, an Investment in the Future Award during the celebrations on 28 November 2018.
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