| Communications and Development |  |
Published by Communications and Development
Audiology students at the University of Canterbury can now gain valuable hands-on experience in diagnosing vestibular disorders — or dizziness and balance problems — thanks to generous grants from the Oticon Foundation and Oticon New Zealand.
The Department of Communication Disorders received funding of $18,000 from the charitable trust in its 2007 funding round, which was generously matched by hearing aid and diagnostic equipment manufacturer Oticon New Zealand, to enable the purchase of a video-nystagmography (balance testing) system for use in research, teaching and the audiology clinic.
Dr Greg O’Beirne, Coordinator of the Postgraduate Audiology Programme, said that masters students took a semester-long course on vestibular disorders but traditionally they received only theoretical instruction on campus.
“Balance disorders are part of the scope of practice for audiologists, so we are really trying to build that skill among our graduates. Previously their only exposure to this type of diagnostic equipment was limited to clinical placements at Christchurch Hospital,” Dr O’Beirne said.
“Having this new equipment here in our newly established Vestibular Disorders Clinic enables us to provide our students with solid hands-on experience with the type of equipment they are likely to encounter in clinical practice. It also means that we can expand the range of topics we can offer for masters research.”
Students began using the interacoustics videooculography system last semester.
“The infrared camera in the system monitors eye movement. If you’ve ever watched a child spinning around in a circle you would notice that when they stop spinning their eyes are flicking about — it’s that movement of the eyes which gives us a lot of information about the functioning of the vestibular system,” said Dr O’Beirne.
There are plans to, within the year, extend the University’s Hearing Clinic services to include balance assessment, which Dr O’Beirne expected would reduce the demand on the resources of Christchurch Hospital.
For further information please contact:
Maria De Cort
Communications Officer
University of Canterbury
Ph (03) 364 2987 ext 6072
maria.decort@canterbury.ac.nz