Ahmed's Story

We were very excited to have a healthy baby boy. He was perfect in every way. When the nurses told us our baby would have his hearing tested, we thought nothing of it. No one in our family has hearing difficulties. When they told us he did not pass the test and needed to be tested again by a specialist, we were very concerned.

The audiologist tested his hearing and confirmed that he had mild-to-moderately hard of hearing. We were devastated. We did not know anyone who had a baby who was deaf or hard of hearing. What future would he have?

We were very hesitant to allow professionals into our lives. As immigrants to this country from Somalia, we were not accustomed to sharing such personal information about our family with strangers. However, we learned to trust the teachers, doctors, and many other professionals who wanted to help us. We met other families in our situation, and this made us feel less alone. It was very good for our family to talk to other Somali families who had children with special needs.

Today, our son is doing very well. He wears hearing aids and attends a school for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. His speech is developing well and we are sure that when he grows up, he’ll be able to do anything that he wants to do.

We think that it’s a blessing that we’ve found so many people who want to help our family. We hope that you will find the same, too. Just ask, and help will come.

Waxa aan aad ugu faraxnay marka oo noo dhashay wiil caafimaad qaba. Waa uu fiicna dhinac walba oo aad ka eegto. Laakin nursiga ayaa waxa ay nagu tidhi waxa baadhitaan lagu samaynayaa xaga maqalka, anaguna wax wayn umaanan arag sabata oo ah hada ka hor kuma ayna dhicin qof ka mid ah qoyska. Markaii lanoo sheegay in loo baahanyahay baadhitaan dambe in lagu sameeyo oo uu arko qof khibrad u leh ayaan warwarnay. Markii laga qaaday baadhitaan kale oo ay baadheen dadk khibrada u leh maqalka (audiologist), ayaa waxa ay ku sheegen in uuna si fiican wax u maqlin (mild-to-moderately hard of hearing). Aad iyo aad ayaan uga xumaanay.

Aqoon umaanaan lahayn qof leh ilmo yar oo si fiican wax aan u maqlin. Waxa aan is waydiinay noloshiiso sida ay ku dambayan doonto?

Waxa aan aad uga soo horjeednay in aan arimaha qoyskayaga aan la wadaagno qof kasta. Anaga oo ah dad ka yimid wadanka Soomaaliya, uma aanan baran oo dhaqan nooma ahayn in aan arimaha qoyska kala sheekaysano qof walba. Ha ahaato eh, waxa aan oganaanay in aan aamini karno, macalimiinta, dhakaatiirta, iyo dadka kale ee diyaarka u ah in ayna caawiyaan. Waxa kale oo aan la kulanay qoysas kale oo nala mid ah si aanan u dareemin in aan kali nahay. Waxa aan faa’iido wayn ka helnay in aan lakulano qoysas kale oo Soomali ah oo leh caruur baahi gaar ah leh.

Maanta, wiilkayagu aad ayuu u fiican yahay. Waxa uu isticmaalaa qalabka loogu talagay xaga maqalka, waxa uuna aadaa iskuulka caruurta dhagaha la’a. hadalkiisu waa uu soo fiicnaanayaa waxa aanan hubnaa in wax kasta uu qabsan karo marka uu koro. Waxa aanu aaminsanahay in ay tahay duco xag ala ah dadka faraha badan ee na caawiyaya. Waxa aanan ilaahay ka rajaynaynaa in aad adiguna hesho sidaa oo kale. Kaliya codso, waad heli doontaa mucaawinaad.