Nazizi’s shocking revelation about son’s hearing problem
Kenyan rap veteran Nazizi Hirji has come out to share how her life took an unexpected turn when she discovered her second-born son, Jazeel Adam, was deaf.
But what makes this story stand out, aside from the resilience of this remarkable mother and son duo, is a question that might raise eyebrows and ignite debates: Did Nazizi wait too long to address her son’s hearing issues?
In a candid Instagram post, Nazizi bared her soul, taking us through the highs and lows of their struggle with Jazeel’s hearing disability. This article will not only touch on their emotional journey but also explore the controversial notion of timing when it comes to addressing hearing loss in children.
Nazizi’s social media confession revealed the uphill battle she faced when first suspecting Jazeel’s hearing challenges. The confusing fact that the young boy could respond to loud noises made the diagnosis even more perplexing. The initial hurdles of getting a hearing test for Jazeel, given his light sleeping habits, only added to the frustration.
“They say parents always know… well, I noticed at about 11 months that our precious Jaz was having challenges with his hearing. Because he could hear loud sounds, it was a bit confusing whether he could hear or not,” Nazizi recounted.
Fast forward to February 2023, when Nazizi finally managed to have the test done at Nairobi Audiology. The results were devastating yet confirming – Jazeel had profound hearing loss. The revelation sent shockwaves through Nazizi and her family, but it also raised questions about the timing of diagnosis and intervention.
“Doing a hearing test was also a challenge because the baby needs to be asleep to get a proper test done and Jaz is a very light sleeper and we weren’t given the right info on how it was possible to help him sleep for the test. Fast forward to Feb 2023 , we were able to do the test at Nairobi Audiology, where they gave him melatonin to sleep, and we found out that Jaz has profound hearing loss.”
Jazeel’s journey to hearing restoration started with hearing aids. While they brought improvements in his ability to perceive environmental sounds, they fell short of restoring his speech development. This phase of their struggle unveiled another challenging aspect – cochlear implant surgery. However, time was of the essence, as Jazeel was approaching his third birthday, a critical milestone for the procedure. This leads to the controversial question: Could Nazizi have acted sooner?
“It was a shock as much as we suspected it, but now we were 100 % sure. Later on that month, Jaz was fitted with hearing aids which helped him with environmental sounds, and as much as we saw changes, he still wasn’t hearing well enough to develop speech. We then found out about cochlear implant surgery, and the new challenge was we had a timeline to beat. For C.I. surgery the earlier the better and its recommended before 3 yrs and our Jazy was turning 3 in a few months, not to mention the cost of the surgery,” shared the female rapper.
On August 3rd, 2023, Jazeel bravely underwent the life-changing cochlear implant surgery. Nazizi and her husband Tanaka faced what they described as the most difficult decision of their lives. Their story now hangs in the balance, as they await the crucial “switch on” procedure early next month.
As Nazizi contemplated whether to share her family’s journey, she realized the importance of shedding light on the process for other parents who might be going through similar ordeals. But is this openness potentially controversial? Some might argue that sharing such a personal story invites judgment and scrutiny, while others praise her courage for creating awareness and providing support to those facing similar challenges.
“Jaz underwent the Cochlear Implant Surgery. The hardest decision we ever made as parents and I can’t tell you what an emotional roller coaster it has been. I’m so proud of my boy he is a warrior who constantly reminds me of the strength we all have within is to fight the biggest challenges. I thought hard of whether I wanted to share his journey with the world, and it hit me how many parents could be going through the same with no information on how to go through the process,” she revealed.
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