Mugisha came to the clinic as a two-year-old and was diagnosed with severe bilateral hearing loss. He had no speech at all. We obtained hearing aids for him, but he was initially reluctant to wear them. After a couple of hours in the clinic he started to wear them and with advice given to his mother he started to wear them at home. After only a couple of weeks, he was responding to his mother’s voice and a few weeks later he had a few simple words. We are hopeful that he will be able to start in a normal school
Mugisha is a two-year-old boy living in Nabweru with both of his parents. He has a younger brother and is not yet enrolled in school. Currently, he does not have any speech.
Mugisha was initially screened at Mulago and had his first clinic appointment in January. He was diagnosed with severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and hearing aids were subsequently obtained for him. These were fitted in February. At first, Mugisha was reluctant to wear the hearing aids. However, after he and his mother spent a few hours at the clinic, we were able to help him tolerate and begin wearing them. His mother expressed concern about how he would respond to the hearing aids at home. We provided her with guidance and emphasized the importance of consistent use to achieve the best outcomes.
A follow-up call in mid-March revealed encouraging news: Mugisha was wearing the hearing aids regularly and appeared to like them. In April, his mother reported that he occasionally turned to look at her when she called his name, a promising sign of increased auditory awareness.
Mugisha’s mother also attended a parent support group, where she had the opportunity to meet other parents and children. She shared concerns about Mugisha not speaking yet, even after a month of wearing the hearing aids. She was reassured that speech development takes time and is a gradual process.
During another follow-up in May, his mother shared that Mugisha had started to say simple words like “bye,” which she was very pleased about.
With continued support for both Mugisha and his mother, we are optimistic that he will continue to develop his communication skills and eventually be able to attend a mainstream school.
Good Hearing – Good Speech – Good Education – Good Job