Hearing Health
To give our children the best start in life, it is important that they have good hearing and healthy ears!
Carbal Medical Services offers hearing health checks for students in Toowoomba and Warwick.
Doing so is your best chance of preventing Ear Disease; which can lead to loss of hearing forever if left unchecked.
Hearing Health Screening Permission Form
for School Visits:
Ear Disease Can Be
Prevented & Treated
What is Ear Disease?
Ear infection is common in babies and young children. If left untreated, it can cause pain, illness, learning problems and hearing loss.
The impact of poor hearing health can be lifelong, with school readiness, communication skills, learning abilities and educational outcomes all being affected.
Ears are connected to a nose by a tube. If we have a cold or a runny nose, our ears are affected. Sometimes ears are blocked from the runny nose or swelling. If ears are blocked, air can’t get in and fluid can’t drain out of the ear.
When left untreated, the eardrum can burst and leave a hole which is one reason why ear disease can cause loss of hearing forever and should be treated seriously in young children at all times.
However, regular screening by your doctor or Aboriginal Health Worker can prevent ear disease.
Treatment for ear disease may include medicine or in some cases an operation.
Symptoms of Ear Disease
- Can’t Hear Properly
- Not Eating
- Diarrhoea or Vomiting
- Signs of a Cold
(coughing, sore throat, runny nose) - Pain in the Ear
- Runny Fluid or Pus from the Ear
- Kids Pulling Ears
- Fever
PLEASE NOTE:
Children can have ear disease even without showing any of these symptoms.
You can ask your health worker, nurse or doctor for an ear check at each visit. It is important to follow their advice about treatments.
Carbal’s Hearing Health Screenings
Hearing Health Clinics are carried out within Carbal’s Toowoomba and Warwick clinics, as well as a majority of the schools within our area.
We are able to offer Hearing Screenings to adults and children from the age of 3 years and up.
The Hearing Health Screening consists of three parts:
Otoscopy
A close examination of your ear’s physical appearance.
Tympanometry
We’ll test the effectiveness of your mddle ear function.
Audiometry
We’ll test and measure exactly how well you can hear.
Once the Hearing Report is completed, the health worker who has conducted the screening will determine the course of action that will be required.
If the patient has been seen twice and failed their hearing test – the screener can refer the patient to Hearing Australia. Alternatively, the hearing screener may send a referral back to their regular GP with a recommendation of further investigation (i.e. referral to ENT Specialist).
Hearing Health School Visits
The Schools Hearing Health program is an initiative that has been operating for over 4 years and is fully funded by Carbal Medical Services.
Carbal endeavours to visit the primary schools in our area on a regular basis. Our team liaises with parents through the school’s teaching staff and gains permission prior to screening.
Should students require a follow-up consultation from the initial screening, Carbal’s Health Workers will organise a time to go back to the school, or alternatively appointments can be booked with Carbal’s clinics directly.
It is strongly recommended that if any follow-up services are required, an appointment is made with a qualified healthcare practitioner.
"Our school was very grateful for the support of the Carbal Hearing Screening service. A student has been referred to Australian Hearing after this screening, which has resulting in proactive interventions that are addressing a significant hearing loss in a supportive way for the family.
This will assist with the student's ability to be engaged with their learning and to be able to be an active participant in the social aspects of school life.
We strongly recommend accessing this service."
Melinda Barling
"Today Tash and Sally came out to Darling Heights School and tested, not just the Indigenous Students, but a dozen or so of our non-indigenous students.
We, as a school are so impressed by Tash’s work ethic. She is wonderful with the children, putting them at ease, making them comfortable when sometimes they are a little unsure of what is about to occur and she is so efficient at getting the information back to us.
Already this afternoon, Tash has emailed to me the outcomes of the testing and by the sounds of it, prepared the results for posting out to parents. If only all organisations were this wonderful to work with.
We are very grateful for your ongoing support to Darling Heights and for your wonderful staff, especially Tash."
Ricky Adams
Make an Appointment
Please contact your nearest Carbal clinic to make an appointment for your child or for further information phone Carbal’s Hearing Health Coordinator on 1300 379 558.
This service is now available for non-Indigenous children for a nominal fee.
Carbal Medical Services
Toowoomba Clinic
Address:
125 Russell Street
Toowoomba QLD 4350
Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 8:30AM – 4:30PM
Phone:
Carbal Medical Services
Warwick Clinic
Address:
55 Wood Street
Warwick QLD 4370
Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 8:30AM – 4:30PM
Phone:
Hearing Health
Enquiries
This form is for general enquiries relating to Carbal’s Hearing Health screenings and school visits.
All enquiries will be addressed by Carbal’s Indigenous Child Health Workers and followed up as needed.
If your enquiry relates to an appointment or booking, please phone your clinic directly.