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Here’s the adorable four-year-old who needs your help to regain her hearing – PHOTOS

By COLLINS OMULO October 21st, 2018 2 min read

A family from Kitui County is appealing to well-wishers to help them raise Sh2.75 million for a medical procedure to help their four-year-old daughter regain her hearing.

Ashley Mueni Kituu was early this year diagnosed at Kijabe Hospital with Bilateral Severe to Profound Sensorineural Hearing Loss – a hearing loss problem where one cannot respond to sounds played at normal decibels or even those audible to someone with a hearing problem but uses hearing aids.

This means that Ashliz cannot hear with both her ears and the situation can be remedied with the use of Cochlear Implants. As a result of this, the young girl is suffering from delayed speech and language.

Four-year-old Ashley Mueni Kituu, who needs Sh2.75 million for a medical procedure to help her regain her hearing. PHOTO | COURTESY
Four-year-old Ashley Mueni Kituu, who needs Sh2.75 million for a medical procedure to help her regain her hearing. PHOTO | COURTESY

“Ashliz was subjected to an MRI scan of the brain, CT scan of the temporal bones and an Auditory Brainstem Response medical examination that showed the severity of the situation,” said the girl’s mother, Ms Felister Munai Nthuli.

“She was then put up as a candidate for cochlear implants with a speech processor to aid in her nearly diminished ability to learn speech as she’s almost 5 years. The cost of hospitalization, surgical and anaesthetist fee and one year of Rehabilitation is Sh2.75 million,” she added.

But the family is unable to raise the funds required for the procedure and are now appealing for financial help before October 31, 2018 to pre-order the implants from Austria that will take six weeks to arrive in Kenya.

Ashley Mueni Kituu. PHOTO | COURTESY
Ashley Mueni Kituu. PHOTO | COURTESY

The surgeries are scheduled for December 15 at MP Shah Hospital.

Ms Nthuli says that the child has gone through all other baby milestones except how to talk as she can only mumble and mimic what she sees on TV and from those around her.

“We enrolled her to baby class last year to see if she could learn a thing or two from her peers. She loved to attend school and was a darling of the other children but unfortunately, the situation did not improve,” says the mother.

Ashley Mueni Kituu. PHOTO | COURTESY
Ashley Mueni Kituu. PHOTO | COURTESY

The mother adds that due to her condition, it has been difficult for those around her to learn to understand her but eventually, they learnt to gesture.

“This way, Ashliz has learnt to gesture when she’s hungry, full or needs to go.”

A pay bill number 711986, Account Name: Ashliz Medical Fund has been availed to the public for contribution and for those who wish to speak to the family, they can do so through the mother, Felister Munai Nthuli on 071372133.