Little Tahlia Coward doesn't know the sounds of hectic modern life.
At 18 months of age, Tahlia was diagnosed profoundly deaf. She underwent rigorous testing before receiving a cochlear implant six months ago and has been learning to listen ever since.
Tahlia is nearly 3-years-old, but has the hearing ability of a 5-month-old baby.
She can say only "no' and "mum' and make noises for other words such as "ta' and ``hello'. Tahlia's mum, Tania Stephens, is assured more words and sentences will follow in another six months.
Now, new government support will help others avoid this anguish. Hearing tests for newborns begin across the country this month. Experts hope the screening will be available to newborns in Auckland next year.
Tania praises the newborn testing announcement made at The Hearing House in Greenlane last month. The Hearing House provides therapy, support and education for all Auckland and Northland children with cochlear implants and hearing loss. It's where Tahlia and Tania are learning to cope and where Tahlia will go to kindergarten next month.
``If we had found out when Tahlia was younger, her language would have developed at a normal rate. Instead, she's got two years to make up,' says Tania.
A total of $24.5 million through the 2006 and 2007 budgets was invested to improve services for children with a hearing loss, a move welcomed by Hearing House therapist Estelle Barlow.
"Normally, a deaf child isn't identified until they don't start to speak ... it puts their development well behind,' she says.
"This screening will make things easier in the sense we'll be working with a child whose potential is known. You may only be playing catch up for three months instead of three years.'
In Tahlia's case, the nerve running from her brain to her ear doesn't work making it harder for doctors to diagnose her hearing problem. An astute infant, Tahlia used her eyes to helpher pass Plunket hearing tests. The newborn screening process could have identified the problem, but Tania isn't dwelling on that. "I wanted her to be the best she could be and, thankfully, now she can. She's doing amazingly well.'
- by Candice Reed
Newborns get a hearing
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