New surgical clinics to treat Aboriginal children with ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions will run four times a year in Armadale in 2025, allowing children like Jett Giles to hear better.
Head of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Dr Anton Hinton-Bayre said Aboriginal children suffered ear disease at a higher rate.
For many years, outpatient ENT clinics have been held at the Armadale Hospital for Aboriginal children.
But in the past, children have been referred to Rockingham or Perth Children’s hospitals for surgery.
“What is new is that we now have four operating lists a year onsite at Armadale for kids who would benefit from surgery,” Dr Hinton-Bayre said.
Surgeons at Armadale will treat conditions such as Glue Ear (where part of the middle ear fills with fluid) and Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media – a chronic inflammation of the middle ear and mastoid cavity with symptoms such as discharge and hearing loss.
“It means we can provide ENT surgical services closer to home for these children and their families,” Dr Hinton-Bayre said.
Surgery can be scheduled during school time and transport can be arranged.
“It’s about removing as many barriers to healthcare as possible for these children,” Dr Hinton-Bayre said, who also runs clinics at Royal Perth Hospital and Port Hedland.
The Armadale clinics run on Friday mornings, once every three months.
While waiting for his recent ear surgery at Armadale Hospital, Jett Giles was very interested in how the stethoscope worked, and the ‘pop’ made when the insert is pulled out of a syringe.
He even got the chance to wear a ‘Supertee’, designed by a Sydney father who struggled to dress his child in hospital, and wanted kids facing surgical procedures or hospital stays to be recognised as the true superheroes they are.
The Supertees were donated to the hospital and allow parents and hospital staff to change their child while accessing or bypassing medical lines.
