Thursday 01/08/91 – Sticking Pictures In Our Books

On Thursday 01/08/91 I was writing up Hughan’s ‘Diary’ so Vanessa, at The Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town (South Africa), knew what we were doing at home, in Gaborone in Botswana, so she could track Hughan’s progress. 

Today we stuck pictures into Hughan’s books.

I got the aeroplane magazine off the plane as it has lovely wildlife pictures in it, also cars, trucks, boats and aeroplanes etc.

I also bought Hughan the wild animal poster and the one of the pets.

As we cut animals out of the magazine we went through to Hughan’s bedroom and he was able to show me all the animals the same (the one we had cut out, with the one on the poster). He enjoyed this.

We also enjoyed gluing the pictures and sticking the pictures into his book.

As I was cutting the picture out I was saying ‘cut, cut, cut’ and without looking at me Hughan each time started saying the word without looking at me.

In the afternoon we went to our usual afternoon tea group. The children all had fun together. Vil is not too well. He is complaining of headaches.

(Helping parents with hearing impaired children through our experience…we are following our profoundly deaf son’s diary, from 1990, so you can see what we did to help him with his speech and hearing. Hughan is 25 years old now and he can hold a conversation on a phone. It is the little thing we did every day, over a long period of time, that has helped him. Please visit our page…’like’ and follow us to help others…Thank you 🙂 )

Sunday 28/07/91 – Back Home In Gabarone

Diary Notes – 23 years ago today I wrote in my hearing impaired son’s diary. I was writing up Hughan’s ‘Diary’ so Vanessa, at The Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town (South Africa), knew what we were doing at home, in Gaborone in Botswana, so she could track Hughan’s progress. 

Hughan and I had just come back home from another trip to see Vanessa at the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town. These were my ‘diary’ notes…

Dear Vanessa

Thank you very much for another two weeks of assistance.

I always get home feeling refreshed. Five months was too long a break – we missed you!

Cape Town to Johannesburg flight went fine. We left the Cape at 3.30pm and after arriving had an hour to get to the Gaborone flight. Arrived at the departure lounge in good time – to find out our flight was delayed half an hour.

I had time to get the boys dinner and went back to sit and wait again. Then they announced a further delay on the flight.

We arrived in Gaborone at 10 o’clock absolutely finished as you can imagine! Hughan did not sleep at all. The boys were very good considering how tired they were.

Willem went to Bulawayo (in Zimbabwe) by himself. Vil was very upset to find him gone when he woke up in the morning. So I decided we would go and play tennis. We were out playing tennis by 9.30 in the morning.

I was still very switched off and only to find I had locked my keys in my car when it was time to go home. Willem was now on his way to Bulawayo with the spare keys! I asked a friend to help and within half an hour he managed to open the car.

Vil, Hughan and I made pancakes twice over the weekend. Otherwise we sat and watched videos and the boys enjoyed playing in the garden on their bikes.

(Helping parents with hearing impaired children through our experience…we are following our profoundly deaf son’s diary, from 1990, so you can see what we did to help him with his speech and hearing. Hughan is 25 years old now and he can hold a conversation on a phone. It is the little thing we did every day, over a long period of time, that has helped him. Please visit our page…’like’ and follow us to help others…Thank you 🙂 )

Saturday 21/07/90 – Hughan’s progress

In 1990, Hughan was one year eleven months old. We had started the program at the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town and Vanessa was our teacher at Parent Guidance. We lived far away in Botswana so I sent this letter to Vanessa, so she could track Hughan’s progress.

Dear Vanessa

We have seen a big change in Hughan lately. He is trying to say words like up, more, hello, hi, boo and when he wants something he will say a long sentence of babble with varied tones.

He enjoys holding his hand on your throat to feel the vibration of you speaking. He also does it to himself and enjoys you doing it to him as well.

He is walking everywhere now with more confidence. Friends have all commented on the change in him and the way he is talking away. Eye contact is great!

We are looking forward to our trip to Cape Town. I am bringing Jamie with me as he will be in his school holiday. 

Jamie plays very well with Hughan and always likes to include him. Willem and I encourage him all the time to talk to him as he tends to play in silence with him unless he is encouraged. I would like to try and involve Jamie once or so in our play when we are with you, so you can encourage him as well. I came home feeling much more confident in myself after the last trip. I am sure when Jamie watches he will get the idea.

Sorry I have not written to you sooner. I don’t think you will have time to write back to me before we leave for Cape Town. I have lots of photos to show you of Hughan’s school and moments at home.

I have also watched the video tape you did of our last trip together. Thanks for your interest and encouragement its really helped. 

Take Care 

love

Sue

(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.)

Saturday 21/07/90-Sponsored walk

Dear Vanessa

I hope you got my last letter ok!  Time flies, and it won’t be long until we will be in Cape Town again.

Saturday 21/07/90

Jamie had a sponsored walk on at school. His teacher assured me I didn’t have to walk with him as they had no major roads to cross. So I left him to walk and went to get Hughan.

When I got back to school, Jamie had walked the measured kilometre twice and had decided he didn’t want to walk again.

So I said I would walk once around with him and Hughan. I gave Hughan a piggyback which he really enjoyed.

On Sunday we played with all the noise making toys. Hughan is also asking to play our piano and he plays quite well using his fingers.

(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 20/07/90 – a Toyota van

I spent the morning going backwards and forwards to the farm collecting manure for our garden. I had the use of a Toyota van and Hughan thought this was great.

We passed a flock of sheep on the road. I stopped to show him. We also saw a Peacock and lots of cattle and also the horses.

When we got back home after the last trip we played with the farm animals and grouped the pigs, sheep, horses and cattle together.

The boys played with the play dough over the weekend.

We have seen a big change in Hughan lately.He is trying to say words like up, more, hello, hi, boo and when he wants something he will say a long sentence of babble with varied tones.

He enjoys holding his hand on your throat to feel the vibration of you speaking. He also does it to himself  and enjoys you doing it to him as well.

He is walking everywhere now with more confidence. Friends have all commented on the change in him and the way he is talking away. Eye contact is great!

We are looking forward to our trip to Cape Town. I am bringing Jamie with me as he will be in his school holiday.

Jamie plays very well with Hughan and always likes to include him. Willem and IO encourage him all the time to talk to him as he tends to play in silence with him, unless he is encouraged. I would like to try and involve Jamie once or so in our play when we are with you, so you can encourage him as well. I came home feeling much more confident in myself after the last trip. I am sure when Jamie watches he will get the idea.

Sorry I have not written to you sooner. I don’t think you will have time to write back to me before we leave for Cape Town. I have lots of photos to show you of Hughan’s school and moments at home.

I have also watched the video tape you did of our last trip together. Thanks for your interest and encouragement its really helped.

Take Care

love

Sue

(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 19/07/90 – Making sounds

We played with the toys that make sounds, squeaking toys, drums, the trumpet, wooden spoons, the toy telephone that has a loud ringing. Hughan is vocalising 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.)

Wednesday 18/07/90 – Matching colours

Play school in the morning. Hughan enjoyed matching colours.

We went to the farm in the afternoon.

(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 17/07/90 – A holiday

Willem is still at home and we had a day together.

(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.)

Monday 16/07/90 – Fishing

It is a holiday in Botswana and our anniversary, so we spent the day at Gaborone dam.

Jamie and Willem did some fishing, although they did not catch anything. We had a lovely day. Hughan and Jamie wore their gumboots to go in the water.

(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.)

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