Doctors soon will be better able to detect hearing and vision problems in young children in southeastern Idaho, thanks to a $7,000 donation from Council 892 of the Knights of Columbus.

The money will be used by Health West Inc., a federally funded health care center that provides pediatric primary, preventative and behavioral health care at its Pocatello clinic, to purchase two pieces of specialized diagnostic equipment. The first is “spot vision,” which is designed to detect early visual impairments and six amblyopic risk factors in pediatric patients as young as six months. Oftentimes, vision disorders have no noticeable symptoms, and as a result young children remain undiagnosed and untreated.

The “spot vision” device can capture results on 97 percent of pediatric patients with minimal cooperation, compared to only 19 percent accuracy rate when using chart-based screenings.

The OAE Hearing device, meanwhile, is designed to detect permanent congenital, delayed-onset and/or progressive hearing loss in newborns, infants, toddlers, pre-school and school-age children, without incorporating responses from patients. When children have undiagnosed hearing loss, it can affect their speech, language, cognitive and social development. Being able to provide hearing screenings during childhood is vital for early detection, treatment and management of hearing loss to pediatric patients.

“On behalf of Health West, Dr. Greg Kostur and our dedicated pediatrics team, we would like to express our gratitude to the Knights of Columbus for their continued support,” said Melissa Myers, director of grants, budgeting and special programs for Health West. “Having the availability to use these diagnostic screening devices in our Pediatrics clinic is life changing. Not only will both technologies help our pediatricians and medical staff perform fast, accurate and objective vision and hearing screenings for young children, but using the right technology in our pediatric practice will help improve patients’ outcomes and make a profound difference in the lives of our patients.”

Mike Doellman, Grand Knight for Council 892, said the donation was first suggested by council member Jim Price who had conversations with the pediatric clinic about the value of early detection of hearing and vision problems. Being able to detect and treat those problems early in life can dramatically change the quality of life for the patients, Price was told, and he suggested the local KC council support the purchase of these diagnostic devices.

Much of the money was raised by the Knights’ annual charity golf tournament, which generates money for a wide range of good causes each summer, including the most recent tournament held last September.

“The Knights are a life-affirming organization that is always looking for ways to improve the quality of life of those in our community, in particular the young people of our community,” Doellman said.

Myers said she hopes to have the new diagnostic tools purchased, assembled and staff trained to use them by March of this year.

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal group of Catholic men who use their time, talents and treasure to further educational, charitable, liturgical, youth and family works in their parish, community, state and nation.