Foziljon
12 yearsTashkent
Foziljon lost much of his hearing in early childhood. After a cochlear implant he learned to speak, earns top marks and became Uzbekistan’s chess champion.
Foziljon’s story is about a parent’s courage and persistence. The decision to have a cochlear implant was not easy, but it is exactly what opened up the world of sound, mainstream school and big chess victories for him.
At a glance
- Date of birth
- 14 April 2014
- Age at implantation
- about 4 years
- Year of surgery
- 2018
- Clinic
- Invivo, Tashkent
- Processor
- Cochlear Nucleus 7
- Today
- Tashkent Chess Academy
“When my son brings home top marks and wins chess tournaments, I forget all the hardships we went through.”
Interests & achievements
Before & after
Because of his hearing loss, Foziljon barely spoke and lagged in speech development. His parents feared he would never hear and speak like his peers.
After a cochlear implant in 2018 and persistent work at home and with teachers, Foziljon began to speak, went to a mainstream school and became Uzbekistan’s chess champion.
Key milestones
- 2016
Worry
His parents noticed his hearing was failing and his speech was not developing. They feared he would fall behind his peers.
- 2018
Implantation
After long deliberation and meeting other families, the parents decided on a cochlear implant at the Invivo clinic.
- 2018
First results
In just two months of intensive work at home and with speech teachers, first words and responses appeared.
- 2019–2020
Mainstream school
A regular kindergarten, then a mainstream school: among his peers his speech became fluent and confident.
- 2021
Swimming
Of the sports they chose swimming — safe with an implant. Foziljon trained for several years with strong results.
- December 2023
Uzbekistan champion
At a chess tournament he advanced from district to region to the republic and became Uzbekistan’s champion.
- Today
Chess academy
Foziljon studies at the Tashkent Chess Academy, loves mathematics and remains a top pupil.
Their journey
Foziljon was born on 14 April 2014. In early childhood it became clear he could not hear well: his speech did not develop, and his parents feared he would stop speaking and fall behind his peers.
Doctors recommended a cochlear implant. The decision was hard: the family thought it over for a long time and consulted doctors and other parents whose children had already had the surgery. Trusting the outcome, in 2018 they had the operation at the Invivo clinic.
After the surgery, change came quickly. His mother worked with him every day, took him to speech teachers, talked to him constantly, took him to the zoo — and within just two months the first results appeared.
Before school Foziljon still could not put words together, but in a regular kindergarten and a mainstream school, among hearing peers, his speech became fluent. His parents did not set him apart from other children.
There were hurtful comments about “the boy with the device”. It stung Foziljon, but the family overcame it — largely because he was one of the best pupils in his class.
For sport they chose swimming (contact sports do not suit an implant). And when a chess club opened at school, Foziljon truly fell in love with the game. In December 2023 he became Uzbekistan’s champion, and today he studies at the Tashkent Chess Academy and loves mathematics.
Their story on video
Putting your child on the operating table is hard for any mother. I went through it and I do not regret it: today my son speaks freely and wins. To parents in the same situation I say — go ahead with the operation.
More stories
Abdulaziz, 11 years
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O‘g‘iloy
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