School-aged children across the country are to receive free hearing tests using an Australian-developed online game.
Announced by the Minister responsible for hearing services, Ken Wyatt during Hearing Week last week (3-9 March), the tests will make use of the Sound Scouts online game which detects hearing issues in children.
Mr Wyatt said that last year, 600 five-to-seven year olds received hearing aids for the first time.
“The Sound Scouts program is engaging and fun, but with some serious benefits for our nation’s children,” Mr Wyatt said.
“A recent study found that up to 1.3 million Australians are living with hearing conditions that could have been prevented.”
He said he was aware that delays in recognising and treating hearing loss in children’s first few years of school could be profound and long lasting, undermining their future prospects.
He said a Macquarie University study analysed the Sound Scouts system, finding it delivered a $10 return in benefits for children and the community, for every $1 spent on the app.
“Children with hearing problems may be unable to hear their teacher or understand their friends talking to them in a noisy classroom,” Mr Wyatt said.
“They are more likely to struggle to meet learning milestones or develop social skills and can quickly fall behind their peers.”
He said that once identified through the Sound Scouts system, children could be referred for further testing and appropriate support and have the best chance of reaching their full potential.
The program will start this year and run for up to five years, ensuring that up to 600,000 Australian children aged four-to-17 have their hearing checked.
More information is available at the Sound Scouts website at this PS News link.
