Let’s help JC to hear!

JC was born premature as his mother had preeclampsia. He was in neonatal for 3 weeks.

This is his story. Thank you to his mom for sharing.

He was a very difficult baby crying none stop.We thought he had colic.

We did anything we could to help him and ease him but he was restless the entire time and we could see that he was in pain.

I went back to the doctor and he prescribed colic medication. Which did not work, you could still see he was in tremendous pain. His eyes could also not follow things if you held an object in front of his face.

One night when he was 3 months old about at 2h00 in the morning he got a fit.

We rushed him to the hospital. The pediatrician submitted him to neonatal. He was very sick. After a week and a lot of tests done the pediatrician could not pin point where the fits actually came from and sent us home with epileptic medication.The next morning when we were already home the pediatrician called and asked that we must come and see him immediately.

When we saw the pediatrician he told us JC’s calcium was very low and his phosphates are increased. We must go and see a professor who specialized in genetic illnesses as the private sector could not help us anymore.

After many blood tests done the professor, he told us that he has a rare condition named hypoparhyoidism. It only affects 0.7 out of 100 000 of the population. That is why he had fits and was crying none stop as he had cramps of low calcium and not colic. As a result he could not see for 3 months because of low calcium. He would have to take medication for the rest of his life which is very expensive and who themedical aid don’t cover 100 presently

There were a lot of medical bills we could not pay.

He was slow in his milestones and I had to take him to the occupational therapist to teach him to sit and crawl. When he was 4 years old his kindergarten teacher told us to go and see the pediatrician as she thinks he has ADHD and some sensory issues.

We went to the pediatrician and he told us he definitely has ADHD and sensory issues. He put him on some ADHD medication and I took him to the sensory occupational therapist. A lot of medical bills also were generated and the medical aid did not cover all of them.

The ADHD medication never worked and he got really thin. When he was 5 years old he could almost fit into his baptizing suit. I stopped the medication.

When he was in Grade R the teacher said I must go back to the doctor and put him back on the ADHD medication when he is in Grade 1.We took him to another doctor for a second opinion and the doctor agreed with the first that he must take the ADHD medication.

When he was in grade 1 he was put back on the ADHD medication. But it still did not work.

During the end of his Grade 2 year he was taken to psychiatrist he told us that JC has very high anxiety levels and definitely cannot concentrate 100%. He put him on some anxiety medication and alternative ADHD medication.

The second time we went to the psychiatrist he told us that he thinks JC has an hearing problem and that is why he is anxious and insecure in his surroundings and that he has definitely does not have ADHD.

He went to the Audiologists and they said that JC does have hearing loss and must get hearing aids.

It can’t be fixed because it is most likely linked to the fact that he was premature and has his genetic illness.

He is a lovely energetic soft hearted boy who still performed extremely well despite the fact that he has lack of hearing.

He is a very clever boy as his school report shows it.

The doctors said that it is a blessing that he adapted so well with his hearing loss and that he is able to perform this good.

He plays drums which he loves and steals hearts wherever he goes.

He also loves playing tennis and golf.

His dog Snuffels is his best friend.

The hearing aids are very costly and I am a single Mom who gets minimal support from his Father. All the doctors’ costs are not covered by die medical aid as well as hearing aids which are very expensive.

We want to give him the best future and quality of life in buying him the hearing aids.

Please support our campaign, let's get JC the help he needs and help a clever little boy reach his full potential.