Department of Speech Therapy and Audiology

Head: Ms Sadna Balton (Assistant Director)

Introduction

Ms S Balton has filled an Assistant Director post in the department. This is the first Assistant Director: Speech Therapy/Audiology post for such a department in the state sector. We are also grateful that hospital management has realised the importance of the service and have redressed this by allocating 4 more therapy posts to the department.

Developments & Training

We are also excited that 3 of our staff members have been trained in sign language and are now able to train patients to use this as a means of communication.

Sadna Balton & Naina Modi-Patel presented papers at the Neuro-development conference in Durban, at the South African Toy Library Conference and at the Regional Speech Therapy/Audiology forum.

Sadna and Evelyn Tyler also presented at the International Multilingual conference in Kwa-Maritane last year. This presentation, on the parent programme in the department, was well received by the international community.

The department has also been actively involved in clinical teaching and was invited to conduct a workshop at Durban Westville in October this year.

The department is firmly committed to staff development; therapists have, therefore, attended a number of courses this year to improve their clinical skills and knowledge. A course on developmental care helped prepare therapists to work with babies in the ICU. The Advanced NDT baby course further contributed to refining their skills in this area.

Therapists also attended a number of courses in advanced Paediatric Audiology, which focused on specialised assessment for the young child, as well as introduced them to new intervention strategies for this population.

Sadna Balton & Avishna Sewrajan are currently studying towards their Masters in Early Intervention at Pretoria University. Naina Modi-Patel has completed her Masters in Speech Therapy, her research titled "Current Practices, Training and Perceptions of Hospital-based Speech Therapists Working in the Area of Dysphagia" was recently published in the National Speech Therapy Journal. Zakkiya Patel presented her fourth year research on attitudes relating to cleft lip and palate at the National Cleft Lip & Palate Conference in Cape Town this year.

Due to the rapid increase in the number of patients seen who are HIV positive, it was necessary for us to improve our knowledge of the pandemic and also define our role in working appropriately to meet the needs of our patients. For this reason we hosted a one day workshop entitled "The HIV/Aids Pandemic - Therapists Preparing to Meet the Challenge". Presentations from various people, including Cotlands, support groups, legal right groups as well as research organisations, were included.

Our continuous team-building and evaluation of our services has allowed us to maintain a high level of commitment and motivation amongst staff.

Achievements

The acknowledgement of service excellence from Gauteng Health Department for our language programme by awarding us with the second prize at the Khanyisa Awards this year, has also been very rewarding. This award has confirmed our belief in empowering parents with knowledge and information to allow them to facilitate their children's development.

Projects

The increased staff complement will open up many more opportunities for us - we intend starting a universal hearing-screening programme in the neonatal unit next year. This will allow us to detect hearing losses within the first few days of life.

The audiological equipment in our department is also about the best in the country, therefore providing an opportunity for an excellent service to our clients. We intend improving our skills in electrophysical testing and offering this service to the hospital population early next year.

We have also started support groups for adults with language disorders, laryngetomees and adult hearing aid users. These support groups have aimed to help people reintegrate into their homes and the community.

The department also hosted a successful deaf awareness programme in the hospital. The choir from St Vincent's School for the Deaf entertained children from the paediatric wards, with the aim of educating them about sign language. In addition the department hosted an exiting programme during 'communication week' this year. They held screening programmes and information stations at the hospital administration building, Protea shopping centre and at a Health Day in Lenasia.

Last year ended off with our traditional party for both Paediatric & Adult patients. We hosted a 'fun day' for the children at a "Pony & Petting Farm" and for the adults (with strokes, head injuries and hearing problems) we served lunch and provided entertainment.

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