Audiology program proposal presented

A group of audiologists is looking to implement hearing screening for babies across the province.

The group approached the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region board Wednesday, to talk about the initiative.

About 50 per cent of children have risk factors for hearing loss, said Jodi Haberstock, an audiologist in Prince Albert.

She said that often these problems go undetected and a critical window for hearing amplification and early interventions is missed.

“Often times they will have speech problems, they will have behavioural problems, they will have difficulties in school. None of this is really necessary if we could have just got them identified early and got the services in place, often times they don’t need the extra services down the road,” Haberstock said.

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“We really want to be sure we catch these children at birth so that we can get these programs (started) and get amplification on them.”

The technologies are out there to screen infants within six hours of birth, Haberstock said.

“It’s just a shame not to get these in place as early as possible,” said Lynne Brewster, an audiologist with the Saskatchewan Paediatric Auditory Rehabilitation Centre.

Saskatchewan is only one of four provinces in the country that doesn’t have an infant screening system, she said.

It’s slow to pick up — currently the only region implementing the program is in Saskatoon.

By getting the program in Prince Albert, it is another stepping stone for the group, said Haberstock.

“I hope they seriously consider the proposal and they look at maybe implementing the program so we can get it up and running in Prince Albert,” she said.

“We have the ability to do it, we just need the funds to get the program in place.”

In the first year, the proposal says equipment and sundries costs will be about $129,000 and up to an additional $120,000 in staffing. Subsequent years the annual will budget will require about $125,000 total.

Cecile Hunt, CEO for the health region, said management and the board will take the information under advisement for the next budgeting period.

“In today’s world, often we are challenged (because) if we start something, what do we stop doing or change what we are doing to find resources?” she said.

“We have to match our funding with achieving the expectations of our minister of health and the priorities set there.”

However, she added that they will likely identify the need for infant hearing screening to the Ministry of Health because it is important work.

ahill@panow.com