My little son of 17 months was diagnosed deaf where from here? We do not have a medical aid how do I start a fund for him? :confused:

I am not sure what you mean by a fund.

If you are in the United States, please look at this link. Read the article and click on the link within the article. This should help you get started finding help for your son.

National Organization - American Society for Deaf Children (http://deafness.about.com/cs/organizations/a/asdc.htm)

If you are not in the United States, please tell us what country you are in and we will try to find a national organization for you to call in your country.

Thanks for your reply RugbyPittbull unfortunately I'm from South Africa so if you could supply me with any information that might be helpful I would appreciate it. I've already had him at the state hospital as we do not have a medical aid and only my husband works and the cost of the implants will be R140 000 that will have to come out of our own pockets I need to find a way of raising this kind of money as they will not do any operations before we can put the money down. Thanks for your help so far. Regards

esmerentalzone, I am so sorry for your troubles. Unfortunately, I know nothing about the laws for fundraising in South Africa. However, there are international societies for the deaf that might be able to help and guide you. Here are links to 3 organizations. Please read all the information carefully. Contact them and find out if you qualify for assistance from any of them. If not, someone there might be able to help guide you on what you have to do to start a fund.

DEAFSA (http://www.deafsa.co.za/index.htm)

International Deaf Children's Society - Welcome to IDCS (http://www.idcs.info/)

Sound Seekers, aka Commonwealth Society for Deaf Charity (http://www.sound-seekers.org.uk/news_archive.html)

It is important that you realize that your son's disability does not mean that you have to give up your dreams for him. You can still communicate with him, love him (as I can see you do just by being here and asking questions) and educate him.

Please seek out a program that can help you learn sign language. Once you and your family begin classes you can start teaching your son signs for different things (such as more, bathroom, eat, sleep). Then when you can get him into a deaf education school. This should not be an out of pocket expense... many schools that cannot educate a child properly pay to have the child educated in a more condusive environment.

Please know that your son can do anything! I live in a community where there is a university that has a large deaf population. They go on to be doctors, lawyers, anything they want to be. They just live in a soundless world.