Most parents cherish their baby’s first ‘Mama’ or ‘Dada,’ but for children with hearing loss, these milestones require specialized support. Tiffany Lim, a 26-year-old auditory-verbal habilitationist at KKH Women’s and Children’s Hospital, helps children with hearing loss develop listening and language skills.
Lim’s first success story was with a four-year-old boy who had lived in silence. After therapy, he spoke to his mother and grandparents for the first time. “He was in his own bubble,” Lim recalls.
In Singapore, about one in 1,000 newborns has significant hearing loss. KKH’s Audiology Service treats 2,500 to 3,000 patients annually, ranging from six months to 18 years old.
Lim engages children through play, songs, and reading, teaching them to connect sounds to meanings. She emphasizes the importance of parent involvement, coaching them to support their child’s development at home.
Children with hearing loss often receive hearing aids by six months. Cochlear implants may also be used. However, devices alone are not enough; the brain needs practice to interpret sounds.
Therapy involves teaching children to notice sounds, understand words, and use listening to learn. Parental involvement is crucial, even before a baby starts talking.
For Lim, the joy of seeing children achieve milestones is profound. “When parents see their child call them ‘Mama’ for the first time, their eyes light up,” she says.