Project to help children with both autism and hearing loss

Ayra Wang

A groundbreaking initiative aimed at supporting children with both autism and hearing loss has been launched to address the dual challenges of "diagnostic delays" and "service mismatches" faced by these young ones.

"A SoundPath Project" - organized by the Phonak Hearing Centre Hong Kong and sponsored by Koo's Giving Charitable Foundation - will offer a comprehensive suite of services, including detailed hearing assessments, personalized hearing aids and follow-up family and educational support.

The initiative comes amid the theatrical release of The Way We Talk, which is about the Deaf community.

Chung Suet-ying, who plays a young Deaf girl, won best actress at the 2024 Golden Horse Awards in Taipei.

Kam Ping-kay, managing director of the center and a former chairman of the Hong Kong Society of Audiology, emphasized the importance of early intervention among autistic children with hearing problems.

"We have encountered cases where children were diagnosed with autism [and then found to have] hearing loss three years later. During this time, they were placed in autism-only educational institutions, missing the critical period for auditory-verbal therapy," Kam said. "This often leads to severe behavioral issues due to prolonged communication difficulties."

Recent overseas studies have found that one out of every 54 children with autism also suffers from hearing loss.

Kam said in clinical settings, the prominent behavioral characteristics of autism often make it easier to detect autism-related behaviors than hearing issues, leading to the neglect or misdiagnosis of hearing problems.

The program's first phase will prioritize 50 low-income families, providing them with free hearing tests and personalized hearing aids if hearing loss is detected.

Kathy Lee Yuet-sheung, cofounder of Speech and Hearing Social Enterprise and a university professor, highlighted the significant link between autism and hearing loss.

Citing a 2020 study, Lee noted that children with autism are 4.7 times more likely to have hearing loss compared to their non-autistic peers.

"Autism and hearing loss can present similar symptoms, such as a weak response to human voices, making it difficult to determine whether the lack of response is due to behavioral issues or sensory deficits," Lee said.

Meanwhile, The Way We Talk, a Hong Kong movie shedding light on the lives of local deaf youth and their journey of integrating into society, premiered on February 20.

Directed and co-written by acclaimed filmmaker Adam Wong Sau-ping, the film features a talented cast including Chung Suet-ying, Neo Yau, and Marco Ng.

Through its compelling narrative, the movie delves into the identity struggles faced by deaf youth, offering a poignant exploration of their challenges and triumphs.

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