Audiology in Guyana
•    What is Audiology
Audiology is one of the services offered by the Ministry of Health Rehabilitation Services Department. It includes the assessment and rehabilitation of persons with hearing impairments.
•    Who can come to Audiology?
All persons experiencing difficulty hearing
•    How early in life can someone come to Audiology?
Children and adults of any age can have their hearing tested; the Audiology Department has the ability to screen babies from as early as six hours after birth.

•    What happens when a person visits Audiology
When a person visits the Audiology Department he or she is asked questions in relation to their hearing and their past medical history. They are then put through a series of tests and depending on the results they are either sent to the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT Department) for treatment or fitted with a hearing aid to suit their specific needs.

•    Signs To look for
Children
•    Suspecting your child has a hearing loss e.g.  Child does not startle or jump to loud sounds.
•    Language delay: 
1) Child does not babble (dada, baba) at 10 months
2) Child does not use single words by 2 years
3) Child does not make simple sentences by 3 years

•    Frequent Ear infection:
1)    Runny ears or frequently itchy ears

•    Risk factors for hearing impairment:
1)    Mumps, measles
2)    Rubella during pregnancy
3)    Low birth weight or early birth
4)    Cleft palate
5)    Deformed ears

Adults
•    Problems understanding speech, especially in back ground noise, in groups in big buildings.
•    Frequent ear infections, ear pains
•    Frequent spells of dizziness
•    Buzzing or ringing sound in ears
•    Severe head trauma

What should I do if my child or someone I know has a hearing problem?
•    Should contact your child’s doctor for a referral to the Audiology department nearest to you.

Where can I find the Audiology Department?
Audiological services are available at most regional hospitals and some health centres across Guyana, you should ask for the Rehabilitation department or Audiology department.

Do I have to pay?
The services offered at the Audiology department are free, but if someone is having a hearing loss and needs to be fitted with a hearing aid a price is being attached to the hearing aid.

Should you require more information please contact the Audiology Clinic at GPHC on 227 -8212, ext 1091, or 1100.

Rehab Week 2012 – Theme: Early Detection and Continuous Treatment makes a Difference.