Yusuf

I came over from Pakistan to live here when I was 20. This was a very big adventure for me when I came. I only knew a few people in Nottingham, but I soon settled into the community where I have continued to live all this time. I am proud to be Pakistani, I’m proud to be a Muslim; I attend the Mosque whenever I can and pray whenever I can at the right time. I observe Ramadan and in 2005 I fulfilled the Hajj to Mecca. I am now 53 and married to Yesmean who is younger than me; she was 18 when we married. I am a telecommunications engineer and I am proud to be a local councillor for the Queen’s area. We have five children; my oldest is a girl called Ambreen and she is aged 23, Bashir is 18, Chander, is 16, Emran is nine 9, and my youngest girl is Fara and she is 3.

I am proud of my health; my only problem is my hearing which is not very good. They keep telling me to get help with this problem but I refuse, as I do not want to look like an old man with a hearing aid.

There is big trouble in my family at the present time for two reasons. Firstly, Ambreen keeps talking nonsense about marrying an Indian boy, which I will not permit to happen and secondly, my boy Bashir gives us many problems. Both these children are bringing disgrace upon my family and I will not permit these things to happen. These things are bringing great anxiety to my wife. She has plans to arrange the marriages for all three of our eldest children.

What are the first signs of hearing loss?

How might having to wear a hearing aid impact upon Yusef's self-image?

Thinking about Yusef's cultural heritage, what difficulties might he experience bringing up children in 21st Century Britain?

What are the different types of hearing loss?

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