Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 18/99) - Hearing defects in newborn children will be much easier to detect at Stanton Regional Hospital, thanks to a $13,000 donation.

The donation, from the Benevolent Protection Order of the Elk's Lodge No. 314, was presented at the hospital Friday, June 11, by Jim France , exalted ruler of the local Elk's Lodge to a joint conference with the Stanton Hospital board, trustees, medical staff and administrators in attendance.

"The lodge and its volunteers are certainly glad that we can support the hearing program," France said at the conference. "We know this program will greatly benefit not only Yellowknife, but outside the community as well."

According to Stanton Hospital communications co-ordinator, Sue Glowach, the donation was only a small part of the money donations the hospital has received from Elk's Lodge so far.

"The Elk's Lodge has been incredible for their support," Glowach said. "They have donated over half a million dollars so far."

The donation will be used to purchase equipment which will be used to screen the hearing of newborns prior to discharge from the hospital. Stanton will be one of the first hospitals in the country to have such a device.

Jim Selinger of the Stanton audiology department -- renamed the Elk's Hearing Centre in 1997 -- says that the new equipment will greatly reduce the number of newborns with hearing defects that are missed by current screening tests.

"Right now we're are probably missing about 50 per cent of newborns in the screening process for hearing defects," Selinger said. "The new equipment will measure oto-acoustic emissions by placing a probe in the ear canal. Hair cells in the inner ear generate a response which tells about baby's hearing ability."

"We would eventually like to screen all newborn babies before they are discharged."

According to Selinger, finding hearing defects in newborn babies is critical in helping them learn language and social skills.

"The reason for doing the program is that if we can find out about children with hearing problems before the ages of four to five months and we can fit them with hearing aides and take them through rehabilitation programs, then they will have an easier time developing language and social skills than a child who has been identified with hearing problems after six months of age."