Seven WA childhood hearing initiatives to benefit from Telethon funds

Seven hearing-related projects and services that benefit children will receive funds from Western Australia’s Telethon appeal in 2024.

They range from an ear bus delivering diagnosis and treatment to children in remote settings and hearing tests in newborns, to a paediatric ear health registry, services to improve healthcare access and hearing outcomes for Aboriginal children with ear disease, helping children of deaf adults and early intervention speech therapy.

Telethon announced the 136 beneficiaries it will support this year with funds donated by the West Australian public.

Over five decades the public of WA has donated more than $605 million to the Channel 7 Telethon Trust appeal to deliver life-changing programs, buy equipment and fund medical research into childhood diseases.

The hearing-related beneficiaries are:

Cockburn Integrated Health whose Aboriginal Ear Health Program aims to improve hearing outcomes of Aboriginal children by providing streamlined access to specialist care that is integrated, culturally safe and family-centred. Studies show that Aboriginal children have the highest rates of ear disease and associated hearing loss in the world.
Ear Science Institute Australia whose research into the prevalence and incidence of hearing loss and ear disease of Aboriginal children in five East Pilbara communities will help inform service provision and improve the hearing health of Indigenous children.
Earbus Foundation of Western Australia whose Hear Today, Shine Tomorrow program provides regular ear health services to children in regional and remote WA, helping diagnose and treat middle-ear disease and hearing loss. Staff also do auditory brainstem response testing which helps identify hearing loss and assess neurological function in newborns, aiding in the early detection of hearing-related issues and neurological conditions.
Expression Australia whose CODA WA program delivers workshops and group sessions to help build resilience and provide a support network to bilingual and bicultural children of deaf adults. The program aims to increase awareness and understanding for children living in both the deaf and hearing communities.
Fiona Stanley Hospital and South Metropolitan Health Service whose establishment of a standardised hearing health registry will create a paediatric ear health database to ensure timely care, enable future research and enhance service quality.
Telethon Speech and Hearing which offers educational, diagnostic, therapeutic and support services for children with hearing loss and speech and language delays. These early interventions and school support services aim to ensure children achieve success in education and future employment.
The University of Western Australia for its research into exercise therapy for children with central auditory processing disorder.