The phone rings. Julius Goh, five, answers on the second ring. A voice from the receiver tells him to pick up a plastic frog on the table, which he triumphantly does. Then he sets it down and proceeds to pick up a colourful clown, a grey mouse and a host of other toys, all while his mother watches with bated breath.
This scene seems like a typical children’s game, except for two important details. First, it took place at Singapore General Hospital’s (SGH) Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Centre. Second, Julius was born with Large Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome, which means that one of the channels in his inner ear responsible for conducting sound is larger than normal. For Julius, hearing others was like listening to an underwater conversation.
