Friday 27/04/90
Hughan is wearing both hearing aids today and looking very well.
I have been playing football in the garden with Jamie and Hughan. First of all Hughan sat at the side and watched while Jamie and I had a bit of a game. Then I helped Hughan playing with Jamie. Hughan always enjoys joining in the fun, and vocalises very well.
Every day after Hughan wakes up, he has his tea in our bedroom and as soon as he sees Willem go into the bathroom he is off to join him. He watches Willem Bath and afterwards they both brushed their teeth, it is just so sweet watching Hughan.
While Willem is at home most of the time he is his shadow.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Thursday 26/05/90
Today Jamie and Hughan had a great time painting. Hughan loves to copy his brother. Putting the brush in the water and using the different colours and painting his picture.
Hughan is trying very hard with his walking. Today was the first time he has walked by himself from the kitchen into the lounge.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Wednesday 25/04/90
Hughan is much better, he is still having drops put into his ear, but he is much happier.
In the last week we have played it with Jamie’s train set, Lego, the Duplo set, building bricks and noise making toys. Hughan is still not walking, but he will walk from one chair to another when encouraged.
We feel he is making progress all the time and he sometimes babbles words that sound quite good.
Jamie and Hughan have some lovely games together and Jamie has learnt to play very well with him. He likes to make Hughan aware of noise which is great.
Hughan loves his books and colouring in with Jamie as well.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Tuesday 17/04/90
Hughan had a visit to the doctor and he had just started a discharge from his right ear. He also has a cough and blocked nose.
We went to our local Dr for the first time and I was very impressed with her. She phoned my specialist in Johannesburg to confirm with him as regard her treatment and his health.
Hughan has not had a very good week. He has only been able to wear one hearing aid. But even wearing one hearing aid he has been turning around to our voices and being aware of all the different noises, the washing machine, Tina barking, etc.
Even when the TV is on or the radio (quietly), if I call him he is turning around. I try not to have other noises going on in the house during the day, so he gets to hear different sounds.
He is to have ear drops in his ears for 10 days, so during this time I will leave his hearing aids off, so that ear has a chance to dry up.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Friday 13/04/90
Eater weekend started. Willem had some great moments with the boys.
We went to a horse show on the Saturday and Hughan sat very quietly watching all the horses.
On the Sunday we traveled through to Mafikeng to be with Willem’s sister. Hughan was not very well.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Thursday 12/04/90
Jamie and Hughan had a great morning making sounds. Jamie loves this game, as I have always stopped him playing with pot lids or blowing a whistle, because of the noise it makes. So he is having great fun.
After every meal Jamie likes to get a spoon and play knock, knock, knock (banging the spoon on the door) pointing to our ears, then saying “come in” and Hughan likes us to take it in turns.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Wednesday 11/04/90
Willem and Hughan had a great time this morning. While Willem was bathing he was talking to Hughan. At the end of it Hughan had to be changed as he got drenched. He had been splashing the water and vocalizing very well.
Hughan and I played with his Duplo set. He has a farm yard set with chickens, a pig, a sheep, a horse and a cow.
The farmer sat on the horse which Hughan enjoyed, as he watches me teach.
I made the noises of all the animals.
Jamie finished school early today as they have started their school holidays.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Tuesday 10/04/90
Grace, who works for us, is back thank goodness!!
Hughan and I started the day by playing ball. We had a great morning recognising sounds.
He knows the washing machine sound. This morning while eating breakfast when the spinner started he pointed to his ear and shook his head.
Afterwards Grace got the vacuum cleaner out. He loves pulling the cable out and then pressing the button that rewinds the cable.
It makes a loud noise while he presses the button and he can feel the vibration.
He also reacts when Grace switches the vacuum cleaner on and off.
Today when the phone rang I pointed to my ear and grabbed him and pointed to my ear and shook my head and saying “I can hear the phone”, and then took him to the phone.
He is enjoying recognising sounds.
I wish you could see him now. When we call him, he turns round straight away, as long as he is not engrossed with play.
When he is doing something that he knows he shouldn’t and I say “no”, he stops immediately and swings around.
He is also turning in the correct direction when he hears the sound from behind. I have also found when I say “say goodbye!” he is waving without any gestures given to him. He also kisses you when you ask him to.
We have noticed a great change in him and we feel he is responding very well.
Tina the dog barks when you bark at her and Hughan is trying hard to bark at her. He babbles very well when he plays with her.
He is also giving eye contact a lot easier now and we talk to him as much as we can, in fact all the time.
It has also got to the stage that when we hear a sound I pick him up and show him where it is coming from and reward him with the vibration, be it at home or where we are out visiting. It becomes a great game.
I also find while I am driving the car that he vocalises very well. When he babbles I jump and he thinks it is great fun. Sometimes when I speak to him or make a noise he jumps in a response to hearing me.
When we have people around, he is usually involved watching something or joining in with the others and when I tell everyone how he is responding, he never does it when they are around, as he is otherwise occupied. Occasionally he will react and they will comment.
We are all finding it great fun. At times I feel quite exhausted by it but it usually happens when it is time for Hughan’s morning sleep, which means I can have a break and when he wakes up I am ready to start again.
Willem also spends time with Hughan and talking to him. Hughan loves his Dad. Jamie is very protective over his brother and they are very close. We also reward Jamie when he helps his brother. Sometimes when Jamie wants to paint, his brother has to have a piece of paper and brush and join in with him as well.
We are looking forward to our visit in May. Not too long now.
Cheers for now
Sue
I sent Vanessa our ‘Diary’ notes and an update on how things were going at home in Gaborone in Botswana, so she could track Hughan’s progress, before our return visit back to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town in May.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Thursday 05/04/90
Grace, who works for us and helps me with Hughan, has had to go home to the funeral, so I have the work to do today and its Jamie’s birthday today, so I also have to get ready for his party on Saturday. Hughan helped me make Jamie’s birthday cake.
Willem’s sister is to stay with us over the weekend with her husband and their two-year-old daughter, who was born on the same day as Jamie. So I will spend the next few days talking to Hughan in general and play when I can.
Well thank goodness the weekend is over and everything went well – a great time was had by all. My last day of house work before Grace comes home.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)
Wednesday 04/04/90
We went to play group in the morning. Hughan loves to carry his suitcase in. Holding onto my hand with one finger and trying his hardest to carry his case with the other.
I hope I am doing the right thing by taking him along to the group. I am finding it quite trying, but very rewarding.
Today he decided climbing was his new interest. He was climbing up and down a ladder.
He was vocalising very well today.
My friend has a dog that is always barking and Hughan always reacts to her bark.
(I started this website to help other patents with deaf children through our experience. Our son Hughan was born in 1988 and was diagnosed profoundly deaf at 14 months old. We kept a Diary, so his progress could be tracked between our lessons, as we were living in Gaborone in Botswana and traveled every 3 months to the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town.)