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Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca

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Dr. George Hearing Centers

Children

Aural rehabilitation for children

Hearing loss in children is a critical concern that demands prompt and specialized attention. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are essential for a child’s language and social skills development. Our team of expert speech and language therapists, as well as audiologists, assesses the situation and customizes hearing rehabilitation programs to cater to each child’s specific needs.

I cannot hear well - What does it mean?

Hearing loss in children is not just a normal situation like in adults.

If a child does not respond as expected to the parents’ voice, turns up the volume on the TV or has difficulty articulating words, it may be a hearing problem.

Such a condition can affect the child’s language development, interaction with other children and the child’s overall quality of life. Often, children are unable to express their discomfort or explain their condition, making early diagnosis even more important.

In such cases, an immediate specialist evaluation is necessary to confirm the existence of hearing loss and determine the extent of hearing loss.

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What are the causes of childhood hearing loss?

Many factors may cause hearing loss in infants and children in the first years of life.

The main prenatal causes are:

  • Heredity (even if there appears to be no family history)
  • Complications during pregnancy
  • Infections of the pregnant woman during pregnancy (e.g. rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis)
  • Genetic syndromes (e.g. Ushers, Alport, Crouzon)

The main postnatal causes are:

  • Premature birth with a weight of less than 1500 grams
  • Complications during delivery (e.g. acute labour, stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, severe jaundice, oxygen therapy)
  • Infections of the newborn (e.g. meningitis, measles, mumps)
  • Frequent and repeated ear infections
  • Exposure to very loud noises, even for a short period of time

What are the signs of childhood hearing loss?

Early detection of hearing problems is vital because children learn to communicate by imitating the sounds they hear. The most critical period for children’s speech and language development is mainly before the age of 4 years. Therefore, it is particularly important to recognise any signs of hearing loss in time.

An infant during the first year shows some characteristic behaviours related to hearing:

  • He is startled or jerked at the sound of a sudden sound.
  • Recognises the voice of his parents by the age of 3 months.
  • Turning the eyes or head in the direction of the sound at 6 months of age.
  • He imitates sounds or even pronounces some words, such as “Mummy” or “bye-bye” at 12 months of age.

The main signs of an infant who may be experiencing hearing loss are:

  • Limited or complete absence of speech
  • Frequent carelessness and other learning difficulties
  • Failure to fully respond to a conversation or inappropriate response to a question.

Children of preschool or school age who are experiencing hearing loss have the following indications:

  • Increase the intensity of the TV too much
  • They don’t respond when someone calls them or respond inappropriately to queries
  • Have joint problems or are delayed in speaking
  • Facing learning problems
  • They watch others to imitate what they do
  • Complaining of ear pain or noises in the head

The importance of preventive care for children's hearing

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Early detection, timely and accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of hearing loss is crucial for both speech and language development and the psychosocial development of children.

Infants should be examined soon after birth. If your child has not had such a test, it is important that you contact the
Centre for Preventive Paediatrics
to schedule a hearing screening.

Early diagnosis and proper treatment of hearing loss for an infant is crucial because if diagnosis is delayed, problems with learning and speech may occur. Many studies report that children with hearing loss who receive early support develop better language skills than other children who do not receive appropriate support.

It is also important to consider the stress and discomfort felt by both the child with hearing loss and his/her family, as the child is unable to understand why he/she has difficulty learning simple things and the family cannot understand why their child’s low school performance is so poor.

In some cases, hearing problems in children who have had an infection, trauma or been exposed to harmful levels of noise do not occur immediately but later in childhood.

Early detection and diagnosis of hearing loss is important for a child’s development. The next equally important step is the treatment of hearing loss with the ultimate goal of better development of the language skills, knowledge and social integration of the hearing impaired child. Depending on the degree and size of the hearing loss, speech therapy may be needed for the child’s full and faster development.

The Path to Restoration

At DR GEORGE Hearing Centres, the world of children facing hearing challenges is transformed through specialized care and the technological solutions.such as the hearing aids we offer. The prevention and treatment of childhood hearing loss starts with early detection, and this is where the active involvement and information of parents plays a crucial role.

The hearing aids we offer are specially designed to meet the unique needs of children at every stage of their development. They are durable, easy to use and easily adapt to a child’s active lifestyle, providing the best possible hearing experience at all times of the day. With the use of hearing aids, children can explore, learn and communicate more effectively, enabling them to develop their language, social and academic skills.

At the same time, our team offers full support and education to parents on the correct use, maintenance and fitting of hearing aids, as well as advice on how to successfully integrate hearing aids into their child’s daily life. The special programmes we develop for children and their families aim to create an environment that encourages self-confidence and independence.

Hear life with us!

At DR GEORGE Hearing Centers, we have created an environment with the appropriate infrastructure and technical equipment to provide services and personalized hearing care for all ages.

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Maria Demetriou

Customer Service Representative

Maria comes from Aradippou and is a Customer Service Representative Officer out our Centers in Larnaca.

With more than 18 years of experience in the field of hearing aids, Maria is a key member of our team and is responsible for the smooth running of our center and the impeccable service of our customers in Larnaca. Some of her responsibilities include: maintaining and cleaning hearing aids, scheduling appointments, invoicing, processing payments, as well as receiving supplies and hearing aids.

Maria always tries to make people smile and feel comfortable while at the same time providing them with all the necessary information.

What makes Maria special is her kindness, her goodness and her authenticity.

She likes travelling and shopping.

  • If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? George Clooney
  • What is your favorite movie? Hachiko: The story of a dog
  • What’s your favorite meal? Pasta
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? The Caribbean
  • If your colleagues could choose one word to describe you, what would it be? Genuine

Elena Petrou

M.Sc.
Office Manager

Elena was born and raised in Nicosia, Cyprus.

She had a fair for languages from a young age.

During her studies, she spent a semester in Andalucía where she fell in love with the Spanish language and culture.

She was introduced to the Cypriot sign language through a friend and subsequently joined a mixed choir of hearing and hard-of-hearing people.

Her day-to-day responsibilities entail greeting clients, scheduling appointments, handling private payments, helping clients with paperwork, ordering and receiving stock supplies, hearing aids and accessories, as well as performing clean and maintenance checks on patient’s hearing aids.

Outside of work, she enjoys exercising, doing arts and crafts and listening to podcasts.

Her favorite quote is “If you are tired of not getting any answers, change your questions!”

  • If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? Noam Chomsky
  • What is your favorite movie? The secret in their eyes (Argentina, 2009)
  • What’s your favorite meal? My mum’s “Gemista “ (stuffed vegetables with mince and rice)
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Latin America
  • If your colleagues could choose one word to describe you, what would it be? Responsible

Lucas Antoniadis

MSc
Sales and Marketing Officer

With roots from Limassol, he considers himself a Citizen of the World.

He is involved with various aspects of our centers, mainly with servicing customers at the front desk, monitoring performance, planning and executing marketing and market development activities, as well as developing the e-commerce of the company.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from TEI of Athens and an MBA from CIIM – UoL. He joined our centres in 2017 with more than 10 years of experience in Sales & Marketing as well as Management Factors.

Ιn his free time, he loves spending time with his family and dogs. He also enjoys spending time by the seaside.

He consistently tries to be the best version of himself every day.

  • If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? Family & friends
  • What is your favorite movie? Hachiko: A dog’s tale
  • What’s your favorite meal? Tomato Beef Stew with Spaghetti
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? French Polynesia
  • If your colleagues could choose one word to describe you, what would it be? Hard worker & team player

Despina Stavri

M.Sc.
Operations and Advertising Manager

Despina was born and raised in Sotira, Famagusta, and is currently a permanent resident of Larnaca.

He studied in the United States of America where she obtained two master’s degrees in Mathematics & Statistics and Applied Mathematics from the Murray State University and the University of Tennessee respectively.

Despina joined our team in 2011 as an Operations and Advertising Manager. She oversees the smooth operation of our centers, solves any issues that may arise daily, and implements our advertising campaigns. She also caters to the individual needs of our patients.

She enjoys attending seminars on marketing, business management, and self-improvement. She spends her free time with her family. She loves books, good company, and a glass of nice red wine.

Her favourite expressions are the following: “Health is the most valuable of all earthly possessions; without it all the rest are worth nothing” and “Common sense is not so common.”

  • If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? Keanu Reeves
  • What is your favorite movie? The Matrix
  • What’s your favorite meal? Whatever my mom makes!!!!
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Cruise to Alaska
  • If your colleagues could choose one word to describe you, what would it be? Honest

Vanya Agathokleous

H.A.D., B.Sc.
Hearing Aid Dispenser

Vanya Agathokleous was born in Limassol and grew up in Pissouri. She holds a degree in Speech Therapy from the European University of Cyprus. She joined our Centers in 2021 after accumulating experience as a Speech Therapist for five years. She is a highly trained Hearing Instrument Specialist who sees customers at our Centers in Limassol and Larnaca.

She is constantly updated on the latest methods for selecting, fitting and adjusting hearing aids as well as hearing rehabilitation by attending seminars and conferences.

One of the main reasons she loves her job is the gratification she gets from helping people welcome back sounds they had not heard in a while. She caters to the individual needs of each customer recommending the most optimal hearing aids not only for better hearing but also for improved quality of life. As she explains, seeing the smile on their face when they realize that they can hear the beautiful sounds of life again fills her with satisfaction and joy.

In her free time, Vania unwinds by going horse riding. On weekends she indulges in shopping therapy.

  • If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? Hippocrates
  • What’s your favorite movie? Prison Break
  • What’s your favorite meal? Seafood pasta
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Maldives
  • If your colleagues could choose one word to describe you, what would it be? Cheerful

Harry Antoniou

H.A.D, B.Sc.
Hearing Aid Dispenser

Charis was born and raised in Ypsonas, Limassol. He studied in Nicosia and currently lives in Arediou, Nicosia, with his wife and young son.

As a hearing aid specialist, he has attended various seminars and conferences in Cyprus as well as overseas.

His job entails selecting, adjusting and fitting hearing aids, as well as providing our customers with audiological support in accordance with the International scientific protocols followed by Dr George Hearing Centers.

According to him, the best part of his job is helping people. His favorite quote is, “It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”

He likes to spend his free time with his family, doing martial arts and other sports as well as reading self-improvement books. Additionally, he loves watching documentaries and listening to podcasts.

  • If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? Bruce Lee.
  • What is your favorite movie? ROCKY
  • What’s your favorite meal? Pork kebab with sieftalies (traditional Cypriot sausages) and pickles.
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Japan, Okinawa
  • If your colleagues could choose one word to describe you, what would it be? Honest

Dr George Panayiotou

Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA
Clinical Audiologist,
Managing Director

Dr George Panayiotou was born and raised in Kiti, Larnaca.

He is a highly accomplished Clinical Audiologist with over 20 years of experience in treating people with hearing loss of all ages. After completing his training and qualifications in the US, he returned to Cyprus to establish DR GEORGE Hearing Centers, one of the largest networks of private audiology clinics. Under his leadership, the three clinics operating under the brand name DR GEORGE Hearing Centers, gained a stellar reputation for providing premium hearing health services with branded hearing aids.

Dr. George holds a doctorate degree in Clinical Audiology from the East Tennessee State University, United States of America.

He holds a professional degree from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

He is also a member of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) and the Royal Public Health Association (RSPH) of Great Britain.

Dr. George has been trained and worked at the Presbyterian Ear Institute, Ear Associated Neurological Clinic, Mountain Home Veterinary Hospital, Watauga ENT and Greenville ENT Otolaryngology Clinics in the United States.

Although his free time is quite limited, he loves spending time with his family and beloved son. He is fond of fitness and especially cycling. He also enjoys carpentry and listening to podcasts.

His favorite quote is, “Only the strong survive”

  • If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? Steve Jobs
  • What is your favorite movie? The Matrix
  • What’s your favorite meal? Souvlakia (kebab)
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Alaska
  • If your colleagues could choose one word to describe you, what would it be? Reliable