November 7, 2025 our son, Malik - King , Hans - God is merciful , Mnaro - his papa….. Turned 9 and it has taken me two days to find words but I still don't have the right ones.
When his cerebral palsy diagnosis was given to us years ago our world literally crushed. The 1st doctor we saw Dr. Kija was so encouraging he told us therapies were our path. Of course we knew CP is forever and we accepted that with all the positivity and we started therapies at 8 months.
Nothing prepares you for the cries and anguish as your child's little limbs are being stretched.
Nothing prepares you for the what ifs and shoulda woulda coulda nor the sadness that hits you when your child's age mates are hitting all milestones with a bang & yours has to work 1000 times to do what looks so natural and easy.
You think you have figured a rhythm then the stigma hits you like a tornado. Suddenly everyone is an expert on what you should do—which church, witch doctor, ancestors you need to talk to …..yawnnn.
Then the struggles for a school that is accommodating starts.
When we moved towns at one and three months the new neurologist told us our son would never walk, talk, enjoy music, recognize us nor be independent….nililiaaaa, but his dad my beloved picked his son and told me achana na huyu mjinga twende and off we went.
Ladies & gentlemen he does all those things. He may not be perfect at them but so what? We could not be more proud of our son.
You are allowed to stare at his gait, you can judge him that his coordination is all up in the air, you are allowed to ask us to explain what he is saying as he perfects his speech, but to us he is perfection. We are so grateful to God and would not change his smiles, kisses, resilience, joy and determination for anything in the world.
Our greatest lesson through parenting special needs child is you are allowed to celebrate even the tiniest milestone. At slightly past 4 years, our boy walked and he hasn't stopped pushing.
To parents and caregivers of special needs children —you are your child's number one advocate!
Happy 9th Birthday to our 1st son. To anyone just starting the special needs journey may this post encourage you.
Keep fighting.”
— Wanjiru Muigai-Mnaro, HIE parent, Tanzania
Listen to Shiru Wanjiru's story from 2021 on our Just Say HIE Podcast:
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