Listen up, early hearing tests are serious

Michael Thomas, 5, has a blue hearing aid to help the hearing loss that was detected by chance when he was 3. Picture / Kenny Rodger

Michael Thomas is your average five-year-old, an active go-getter who swims, bowls and even plays golf.

The only indication that Michael might not be your average kid is a bright blue hearing aid. He has hearing loss in one ear, a condition detected by chance when he was three.

His parents, David and Judy, had noticed problems with his hearing, and took him to their GP, who diagnosed him with glue ear. When it did not clear up, they sought treatment with a specialist, who put in grommets.

The ventilation tubes worked perfectly, but post-operative hearing tests found permanent hearing impairment.

It was, however, caught early enough, and with the help of the aid and several months of speech therapy, Michael now mingles with his peers at Pt Chevalier School without any speech or hearing impediments.

Mrs Thomas said Michael was lucky. "We're really lucky that we caught it when we did.

"He wasn't getting a few speech sounds, and we did catch it early enough so he could go to speech therapy."

The Ministry of Health wants to rule out detection by coincidence, and has indicated that free hearing tests for newborns could be a reality soon.

Research shows that with good early intervention, approximately 80 per cent of children with hearing loss can develop age-appropriate language and communication.

The National Foundation for the Deaf has welcomed the Government's plans, but cautions the best outcome requires more than a screening programme.

Project manager Janet Digby said additional training would be needed for the screeners, audiologists making the final diagnosis, and those assisting families with intervention services.

"There will be a bulge of children diagnosed under a national programme and the current level of resources will not be sufficient to cope.

"So it is really important that the services are in place before the programme is instigated," said Ms Digby.

The foundation's executive manager, Marianne Schumacher, said New Zealand lagged behind most developed countries in the age of identifying hearing loss.

"In Britain, America and Australia, the average age of detection is three months.

In New Zealand, it is 45 months.

Screening programme planned

The Government wants to screen newborns for hearing problems:

* An advisory group, established by the Ministry of Health's national screening unit, published a report last week supporting the Government's move to establish a universal screening programme.

* A steering group comprising health and education officials is looking into policies around a screening programme and early intervention. It will look into addressing issues such as workforce training and funding before free hearing tests can be implemented.

* A further report from the National Screening Unit will be provided to Health Minister Pete Hodgson by mid-year, advising on the next steps that need to be taken.