On August 11, Nguyen Thanh Hoai, deputy chairman of the Duc Binh Commune People's Committee in Dak Lak Province, said Hai Dang, the five-year-old son of Nguyen Xuan Quang, 32, from Tuy Binh Village, Duc Binh Commune, had successfully undergone cochlear implant surgery.
"Doctors have fitted the device. The external processor has now been activated at the lowest volume so that he can gradually become accustomed to sounds. After about two weeks, the volume will be increased gradually as he begins auditory and speech training," Hoai said.
After the hearing device was implanted, Dang was taken home by his father to get used to sound (Photo: Xuan Quang).
Quang said that although the device was operating at its lowest volume, his son's response to sound had been very good.
Hai Dang is expected to return to Ho Chi Minh City on August 17 for further assessments. Doctors will then gradually adjust the volume according to how well he adapts to the sounds.
"The first time he heard a sound, there was an indescribable joy in his eyes. I burst into tears when I saw it because I was so happy. But the new sounds can sometimes make him uncomfortable. I stay by his side, encouraging and comforting him as he gradually gets used to them," Quang said.
If the auditory training progresses well, Hai Dang will attend language classes to begin learning to speak, his father said.
Part of the hearing device is attached to Hai Dang’s hair (Photo: Xuan Quang).
On behalf of his family, Quang thanked Dantri readers and the newspaper for their continued support, saying their generosity had given his son a chance to hear and speak like other children his age.
Quang has raised Hai Dang alone since his wife left and could no longer be contacted. He first noticed signs of congenital hearing loss in his son, but financial hardship prevented him from taking the boy to Ho Chi Minh City for medical examinations until he was two.
Doctors diagnosed Hai Dang with severe hearing loss in both ears, which prevented him from developing speech and language skills.
Quang himself has lost sight in one eye and has poor health, leaving the father and son struggling to make ends meet.
Doctors recommended that Hai Dang undergo a cochlear implant in one ear at a cost of VND 350 million (USD 13,500), to restore his hearing and give him a chance to hear, speak and attend school alongside other children his age.
The cost was far beyond the family's means, putting the boy at risk of missing a crucial window for treatment.
After Dantri/Dtinews published an article about the family's circumstances, readers and donors contributed nearly VND 530 million (USD 20,400) towards Hai Dang's treatment. Of that amount, nearly VND 380 million was donated through Dantri's Charity programme, while more than VND 150 million was transferred directly to Quang's bank account.
A Dantri reporter and local authorities present a symbolic board showing VND 377.95 million donated by readers to Quang and his son (Photo: Ly Ly).
At the end of May, Dantri transferred the full amount donated by readers into Quang's account, helping the father pursue his hope of restoring his son's ability to hear.