Westmead experts visit Collarenebri

Earlier this year a specialist team from Westmead visited the Healthy Communities Collarenebri Hub to undertake screening of local children, identified by the Foundation’s outreach teams as being potentially impacted by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder? (FASD). 

The visit was part of a partnership program the Foundation has been running since 2022/23 working with the University of Sydney and the CICADA team at Westmead Children’s Hospital to identify and diagnose rural and remote kids who may be struggling with the effects of FASD. 

Since July 2023, the Foundation has facilitated the screening of 73 children in 15 towns, including Collarenebri, Bourke, Orange, Mudgee, Wellington, Coonabarabran, Lightning Ridge and the Far Western Region. 

Rishoniy Caine and Penny Kay from the Collarenebri Hub  team did the ground work in identifying kids for screening, working with local Aboriginal health workers, Wellbeing and Health In-reach nurses, Department of Community Services and carers to provide information to the CICADA team and facilitate the screening programs on the ground. 

A total of 11 Westmead specialists and clinicians made the four day trip including paediatricians, neuro psychologists speech and occupational therapists, undertook detailed screening of nine children over four days, followed by an education program FASD for local teacher and educators, nurses, mental health and psychiatric workers and interested community members.    

It was a massive undertaking for Rishoniy and Penny who took the responsibility for getting the kids to the centre (which involved some marathon driving for Penny) providing food and accommodation for the kids and the staff and providing the clinical support for the team, including background information on the children and their families, access to appropriate screening rooms, and later arranging providing referrals for further treatment and pathology as needed.  

The visit continued the successful delivery of the program and also served to further strengthen the partnership between the Foundation, Westmead Children’s Hospital and the University of Sydney.