Hear, hear! New audiology booth opens at Kununurra Hospital
Local child Noah Osman, with mum Naoko Hira, gets an ear health check from audiologist Alison McMillan.
A new audiology booth now open at Kununurra Hospital is set to give local families easier access to potentially life-changing ear health services.
The facility will give visiting audiologists and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists expanded capability to carry out ear health checks on children aged 0-4 years, in addition to the checks provided for children four years and older.
The new purpose-built booth will also mean more accurate hearing tests for children and adults alike, and enable convenient pre-operative and post-operative consultations.
It also means that Aboriginal children from remote East Kimberley communities can be seen and treated in Kununurra, closer to home.
WA Country Health Service – Kimberley Regional Director Bec Smith said the new facility, located in the foyer of Kununurra Hospital, would be a welcome addition to local health services.
“Ear health is critically important for children’s growth and development, and this new, specialist facility will enable local families to get those important checks earlier, in the familiar environment of the Kununurra Hospital,” Ms Smith said.
“We will now be able to test and diagnose children from newborns, giving families even more support to help their young ones achieve their potential.”