Meet our Audiology team 2
Emily Cook
Dilani Wijeratne
Position: Audiologist
Length of tenure: Since April 2022. I have just started maternity leave and plan to return next year. What is your favourite part of the job?
I love educating parents and caregivers about their child’s ears and ear health. They always come out of the appointment having learned something new.
What does your day look like, either on location or seeing children at the centre?
I am currently in a part–time role, mainly in the private clinic at Wembley. A typical clinic day will be filled with around six audiological assessments, ranging from small babies to young children. With each part of the assessment, I try to keep it fun and interactive with various toys, activities and listening games used within the assessment.
A few times a year, I also do rural outreach in Moora, Narrogin and Merredin. We set up our hearing clinic on location with lots of toys and fun games. This is really great for those living in rural locations to have access to hearing healthcare.
What do you like the most about your role within TSH?
I like helping others and working within a team of great audiologists and other professionals. Everyone is so friendly and we all help each other out.
What is one piece of advice for parents / caregivers when it comes to Ear and Hearing care?
Listen to your ‘gut feeling’. If you ever have a concern, even a mild concern, about your child’s ear health or hearing, don’t let anyone discount or downplay your concern. Parents and caregivers know their children inside and out, so it’s best to book in for a hearing check to rule out any concerns.
Position: Audiologist
Length of tenure: 8 years
What is your favourite part of the job?
Having loads of fun and laughter with the kids and helping families to feel supported in the process.
What does your day look like, either on location or seeing children at the centre?
Every day brings something different and exciting. That’s the beauty of working with kids and their families.
What is your most memorable moment?
There are just so many, but when you see firsthand a child achieving their milestones, it is so exciting and emotional at the same time.
What do you like the most about your role within TSH?
I am both humbled and honoured to be working with such esteemed colleagues, both within audiology and our multidisciplinary team, who are all so passionate about the families we support.
What is one piece of advice for parents / caregivers when it comes to Ear and Hearing care? One of the best things you can do to help keep your child’s ears healthy, particularly during winter, is to have them regularly checked by any health service provider such as a child health nurse, GP or audiologist.
Courtney Zoghby
Liying Zeng
Position: Audiologist
Length of tenure: 2.5 years
What is your favourite part of the job?
Honestly, it sounds cliched, but the reactions of the children! They are so honest – when they don’t want their ears examined, they do let you know and I have had some serious side-eye; and the same when they are happy – their smiles, giggles and high-fives make you feel like you’ve done some good in the day. I love that I am able to have an impact on the outcomes of a child’s life.
What does your day look like, either on location or seeing children at the centre?
My day consists of lots of audiology appointments! I see many children in private clinic and Talkabout, from 4/5 months old up to 16 years. Each appointment is 45 minutes long, and each child is accompanied by a caretaker. It is my role to make sure that an accurate hearing test is performed in the most fun way possible, tailoring each assessment to each child’s age and development. I use many techniques to help each child feel that each part of the assessment is a “game,” and we have multiple toys to help us along the way.
What is your most memorable moment?
I remember going into Talkabout one day and looking into one little guy’s ear. The first ear looked great, nothing out of the ordinary. The second ear – wait, what? Pink, glittery and shiny. He had stuck a pink bead in his ear canal! His teacher and parents were informed, and he was taken to the GP for its removal. He giggled as soon as he saw me the next time, and rushed up to tell me that the pink bead was out of his ear!
What do you like the most about your role at TSH?
I love that I get to find fun ways of putting the science that I love to the test with kids who are always changing things up on me! There is a flexibility and fun that comes with working with kids, and their honesty is something I treasure. The kids really make the role what it is.
What is one piece of advice for parents / caregivers when it comes to Ear and Hearing care?
Trust yourself. You know your child the best! If you feel that something is off when it comes to their ears or their hearing, don’t be put off by other’s opinions and “just wait and see.” Book in to see us at any time and we can help you answer those niggling questions!
Position: Ear Health Program Officer
Length of tenure: 4 years.
What is your favourite part of the job?
My favourite part of the job is screening children and young people of all ages from all over WA and even some from outback Northern Territory and South Australia, who are boarding at Clontarf Aboriginal College. I love chatting with them all and hearing their stories.
What does your day look like, either on location or seeing children at the centre?
On a typical day, I load up the TSH bus with screening equipment and head down the freeway to a school (or a health centre if we are screening very little kids). Then I greet the school staff and unload everything into a quiet room. Someone will bring the kids to see me who need screening. Each screen usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes. I leave the results with the school when I leave, so that the parents can have them the same day or the next day. I also let the teachers know whose hearing isn’t very good that day.
Then it’s back to the office to enter all the data and to organise follow ups for the kids who need to see our audiologist or an ENT specialist.
What do you like the most about your role within TSH?
In my role, I get to interact with many different people – audiologists, other staff members, teachers, parents, nurses, Aboriginal liaison officers and, of course, the kids. Everyone is working together to get the best outcomes for the kids. And I get to meet a lot of interesting ears!!
What is one piece of advice for parents / caregivers when it comes to Ear and Hearing care?
Don’t forget about your child’s hearing after they have passed the newborn hearing screen. Remember their ear health can change quickly when they are unwell. Keep checking the hearing milestones and follow up with your nurse or doctor if you think something has changed with their hearing.
Rachael Paxman
Position: Audiologist
Length of tenure: 5 years
What is your favourite part of the job?
It seems that very simple things make me happy! I really enjoy being the distractor (the assistant) inside the booth when we test the younger children because you get to see their confidence grow and they start to talk to you, or repeat your little games, like waving to the telly or puppet, and sometimes almost by magic my colleague outside has been able to complete their hearing test. And I do love a good round of play audiometry where the kids are so into the game and it is absolutely uplifting.
What does your day look like either on location or seeing children at the centre?
In my current role, I am mostly testing children’s hearing all day and frantically writing reports at the end of it! The way that is done depends on the age and the needs of the child and family though (and the setting), so we have to adapt constantly and try to stay really alert to the children’s energy levels or any sign of stress. All sorts of people find themselves helping me out in the hearing booth with the younger kids: teachers, our admin staff, students (nursing/biomedical science/social work) on prac down in the ENT clinic at Cockburn Integrated Health – they really do make the day go smoothly. We often need to liaise with other clinicians in the children’s team, such as their speech therapist, and of course lots of really good conversations with all of the parents and carers. This is the same everywhere, just sometimes I get to play tourist in the Pilbara or Wheatbelt and see some new places, and mostly I go home afterwards from Wembley or Cockburn to my own chaotic household!
What is your most memorable moment?
I will always think back to those children and wonder where they are now and hope everything is going well for them. I am glad that I was able to be part of their journey.
What do you like the most about your role at TSH?
I love a job with a bit of variety in it. Working with kids comes with in-built variety and fun!
What is one piece of advice for parents / caregivers when it comes to ear and hearing care?
I often advise people to follow their gut and to seek help if they have concerns about their children’s hearing or general development. We are always here to help you.
