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About Us
A Proudly Female-Led Team Supporting Kids Hearing
Kids Hearing was founded with the help of a respected female-led team of healthcare and educational professionals (and mothers themselves), who identified a gap in access to hearing services for children.
Although hearing is essential for learning, many children lack timely access. Teachers often recommend hearing checks, and GPs make referrals but families are frequently met with barriers such as cost, eligibility restrictions, and long wait times.
Kids Hearing bridges this gap, delivering hearing assessments in-clinic and in-school.
Our Mission
To ensure every child has optimal hearing for learning. By delivering on-site school screenings and providing comprehensive in-clinic follow-up, early identification of hearing concerns ensures children receive the support and management they need to learn, communicate, and thrive — while also supporting parents and teachers.
Our Commitment
With 15–20 years of professional experience each—and as mothers to 12 children between us—we combine clinical expertise with personal understanding of how crucial hearing is for a child’s learning and development. We understand the importance first hand.

Paediatric Audiologist & Founder
Melisha Sirisena
Melisha is highly skilled with 15+ years of experience in paediatric diagnostic audiology and individualised hearing management working in both in Australia and Singapore.
Trained at The Children’s Hospital, she is known for her precision in diagnostic testing, particularly in complex cases where accurate results can be challenging to obtain. She is widely trusted by Sydney schools, teachers, families and healthcare professionals who are seeking clarity regarding a child's hearing status.
Melisha has proudly represented audiology on both local and international stages, earning accolades for her conference presentations, published research, and media features. Her leadership of a highly successful school-based hearing screening program in Singapore inspired the concept for Kids Hearing in Australia. Read more about Melisha's story as the founder below.
Outside of Kids Hearing, Melisha is an active mum to two girls. Her family are avid traveler's and enjoy exploring the world, staying active and practicing yoga.

Paediatric Audiologist
Cassidy Chow
Cassidy Chow is a compassionate paediatric audiologist dedicated to helping children reach their full potential through evidence-based, family-centred hearing care.
She has worked across a variety of leading paediatric hearing and early intervention services, including NextSense, Hearing Australia, The Shepherd Centre, and private ENT clinics. She has extensive experience providing comprehensive paediatric hearing assessments, hearing aid and cochlear implant management, bone conduction hearing devices, and multidisciplinary early intervention services.
Passionate about making every appointment a positive experience, Cassidy creates a warm, engaging environment where children feel safe, supported, and confident. She believes in partnering closely with families, providing clear guidance and practical support to help them make informed decisions about their child's hearing and communication development.
Having grown up with hearing loss herself, Cassidy brings a unique combination of professional expertise and personal understanding to her work. Her lived experience allows her to genuinely connect with children and families, appreciating the challenges hearing loss can present while inspiring confidence, resilience, and positive outcomes.
Outside of the clinic, Cassidy enjoys baking, discovering new cafés and restaurants, spending quality time with family and friends, and relaxing with a good Netflix series.

Paediatric Audiologist & Advisor
Fiona Duncan
Fiona is highly experienced audiologist with over 25+ years specialising in the diagnosis and management of hearing concerns in neonates and children. With an extensive background in paediatric audiology, she brings deep clinical expertise and a compassionate approach to working with families.
She leads The Children's Hospital at Westmead Audiology Department Prior to this she led the audiology department at the prestigious Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London and served as a Senior Teaching Fellow at University College London, contributing to the education and training of the next generation of audiologists.
She is an active member of the Paediatric Committee for Audiology Australia, helping shape national standards and best practices in children’s hearing healthcare. Outside of her work Fiona enjoys spending time with her family, going for walks and exploring the outdoors.

General Practioner & Paediatric Medical Advisor
Dr Shin Li How
Dr Shin Li How is a highly regarded General Practitioner with over 16 years of experience in medicine and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. She has special interest in women’s health and paediatric medicine, and holds a Diploma in Child Health.
Her clinical focus spans the full spectrum of childhood development—from newborn care to adolescent health—ensuring comprehensive support for growing families at every stage. Dr How is passionate about empowering parents with the knowledge, confidence, and practical tools they need to make informed decisions about their child’s well-being.
Her compassionate care and trusted medical judgment have earned her the respect of colleagues and the appreciation of the Beecroft community she proudly serves. Outside of her GP role Dr How's two girls keep her busy. She enjoys running and spending quality time with them.

General Practioner & Paediatric Medical Advisor
Dr Shriya Gupta
Dr. Shriya Gupta completed her post-graduate medicine degree at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
She has special interest in paediatrics and child development, family planning, women’s health, and preventative medicine. Dr. Gupta has also completed a Diploma in Child Health and a Master of Public Health, further deepening her expertise in paediatrics.
As a highly regarded GP and respected member of the Beecroft community, Dr. Gupta understands the crucial role of early childhood checks to support children’s readiness for school and beyond. She is passionate about ensuring that children’s hearing and developmental needs are addressed early, helping them reach their full potential in the classroom and in life.
She is committed to patient-centred care, working closely with families to achieve positive health outcomes through education, personalised treatment plans, and disease management.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two young boys, travelling, exploring the outdoors, and going for runs.

Assistant Principal & Educational and Learning Advisor
Claire Symons
Claire is a dedicated and experienced educational leader with over 15+ years in Early Childhood and Primary School education. In her role as Assistant Principal, she is committed to nurturing the potential of every child through strong, meaningful partnerships between schools and families.
Claire is especially passionate about early intervention and inclusive education, recognising the vital role that hearing and communication play in a child’s overall development. Her work is grounded in the belief that auditory health is essential to language acquisition, learning, and social interaction—particularly during the formative years.
With a deep understanding of child development, Claire helps shape and lead initiatives that prioritise whole-child wellbeing and promote equitable access to quality education. Her leadership is defined by a compassionate, evidence-informed approach that supports every learner’s journey.
Outside of her professional life, Claire enjoys spending time with family including her two boys, exploring the outdoors, and creating memorable moments with her family through travel.

Hearing Screener & Macquarie University Audiology Student
Safa Alameddine
Safa is a dedicated Master of Clinical Audiology student at Macquarie University with a strong clinical interest in paediatric hearing and early intervention. She is passionate about supporting children and families through compassionate, evidence-based care.
Known for her calm, gentle and reassuring nature, Safa has a steady manner with children that helps them feel comfortable and at ease during appointments and hearing screenings. Through her studies and clinical experience, she has developed a strong understanding of the importance of early and accurate childhood hearing screening in identifying hearing difficulties that may impact speech, learning and overall development.
At Kids Hearing, Safa works within our School Hearing Screening Program, helping identify children who may benefit from further audiological support to maximise their listening, learning and educational outcomes.
Outside of Kids Hearing, Safa enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews, staying active and continuing to learn more about hearing, health and the world around her.

Hearing Screener & Macquarie University Audiology Student
Lauren Soutar
Lauren is in the final year of her Master of Clinical Audiology at Macquarie University. She is strongly committed to early intervention and is dedicated to providing evidence-based care that combines clinical excellence with compassionate, family-centred support.
Known for her warm and reassuring manner, Lauren builds natural rapport with children, helping to ensure school-based hearing screenings are calm, positive, and comfortable experiences.
Her academic training and clinical experience reinforce her belief that early and accurate identification of hearing concerns is essential for supporting a child’s speech, language, and educational development.
As part of the School Hearing Screening Program at Kids Hearing, Lauren applies this expertise to help identify students who may benefit from further audiological assessment, ensuring they are supported to reach their full potential.

Administrative Assistant
Aleera Rashid
Aleera is a valued member of the Kids Hearing team, providing administrative and reception support to ensure a positive experience for our families and clinicians.
She is recognised for her professionalism, strong work ethic, attention to detail, and approachable manner, helping to create a welcoming and efficient environment for every child and family who visits our Epping clinic.
With a keen interest in healthcare and a commitment to ongoing learning, Aleera is dedicated to developing her knowledge and skills within the allied health sector. She takes pride in supporting the day-to-day operations of the practice and enjoys contributing to the delivery of high-quality paediatric hearing services.
Aleera is passionate about helping others and values the opportunity to be part of a team that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families. Her enthusiasm, reliability, and positive attitude make her an integral part of the Kids Hearing team.
The Founder Behind Kids Hearing

With both local and international experience across Australia and Singapore, Melisha has made significant contributions to the field of audiology—through award-winning conference presentations, published research, book chapters, and media features.
During her time in Singapore, Melisha led a successful school-based hearing screening program in elite Singapore schools and saw firsthand the value of integrating audiology into education settings.“Children were assessed in school, identified early and received timely support. Teachers could implement learning plans and further assessments without delay, they weren't awaiting on parents for a hearing result. This streamlined the process and resulted in better outcomes across the board.”
Inspired by this model, Melisha considered this in Sydney—where she observed a lack of hearing services once children entered school. Despite hearing being essential for classroom learning, many children experienced delays as parents faced long wait times, or cost barriers when trying access audiology services. While working at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, this gap became even more apparent. Despite families actively engaging in therapies, hearing assessments were often overlooked—even by the most dedicated teachers and professionals.
While completing further university studies, one of her assignments was to develop a model that connects paediatric audiology with education. “Other services like speech and occupational therapy are now integrated into schools—how can audiology not be considered essential when classroom learning relies on a child listening to their teacher?"
This led to the creation of Kids Hearing—an innovative model of care promoting educational audiology in schools, and dedicating services exclusively to children’s hearing assessments.

Careers at NSW Health (2025) & Ministry of Health NSW Allied Health Brand and Recruiting video.

Best Clinical Presentation (2023). Audiology Society of Australia Conference, Gold Coast 8-10 May.

The First 2000 Days Showcase (2024). Tales and Fails in Paediatric Audiology. The Children's Hospital Westmead.

Audiology Conference (2023)
Meeting with renowned Dr. Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, a pioneer in early hearing detection and intervention, whose research has influenced paediatric hearing care worldwide.

SCHF Sick Kids Appeal (2025). Meeting the beloved Emma Memma renowned for promoting inclusivity for Deaf and hearing impaired children through her vibrant music and Auslan (Australian Sign Language).

On-site School Hearing Screening, Sydney (2024).
Publications
LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS:
Sirisena, M. (2023). Trusting your clinical instincts. In Audiology Now (Issue 93 September 2023) page 19-21.
Sirisena, M., Birman, C, McKibbin, A. and O’Brien, K. (2018). Bilateral auditory ossicular expansions in a child with beta-thalassemia major: Case report and literature review. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol.112:126-131.
Sirisena, M., McKibbin, A., and O’Brien, K. (2016). Hearing loss. In Giles, M (Vol 3, Chapter 26). Symptom Oriented Approach to Otorhinolaryngology. India, Bangalore; Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers.
Thesis: Naidoo, M., McMahon, C., & Sharma, M. (2009). Rapid Acquisition of Auditory Evoked Potentials. Macquarie University, NSW, Australia.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS:
Sirisena. M., and Singh-Bains, G. The First 2000 Days Showcase: Tales and Fails in Paediatric Audiology. Oral Presentation. Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, Sydney, 6 September 2024.
Sirisena, M. Case report: When Your Clinical Instinct Trumps the Doctor and the Literature, Go with Your Gut. Oral Presentation. Audiology Society of Australia Conference, Gold Coast 8-10 May 2023.
Sirisena, M. Case report: when ototoxicity is not the culprit. Oral Presentation. Audiology Society of Australia Conference, Perth, 14-17 Feb 2021 (accepted oral presentation- cancelled due to COVID)
Sirisena, M. and Ng, L. Challenges in The Delivery of Rehabilitation Services to NICU Patients. VIII Australasian Newborn Hearing Screening Conference (ANHSC), Sydney, 18-20 June 2015.
Naidoo, M. “She’s not making much progress in speech therapy”: Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Oral Presentation. Audiology Australia XX National Conference, Adelaide, 1-4 July 2012.
Naidoo, M., McMahon, C., and Sharma., M. Rapid Acquisition of Auditory Evoked Potentials. Oral Presentation. Audiology Australia XIX National Conference, Sydney, 16-19 May 2010.
ONLINE & PUBLISHED MEDIA:
Sirisena, M. Macquarie University Alumini Focus (September 2025). The importance of hearing in learning - Macquarie University
Sirisena, M. Macquarie University Alumini #coffeecatchup (April 2025). https://www.linkedin.com/posts/melishasirisena_its-rare-that-our-paths-cross-professionally-activity-7338733771606630401-xqW5
Sirisena, M. NSW Health Government Website. Careers at NSW Health (2025). https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/careers/Pages/default.aspx
Sirisena, M. Champions for Children. The Children’s Hospital Westmead, Sydney, Australia (2025) https://www.instagram.com/westmeadkids/?locale=fr_ca&hl=en
Sirisena, M. Ministry of Health and Department of Education Virtual Careers Fairs (2023). Promotion of Allied Health to New Graduates.
Sirisena, M. Audiological Society of Australia (2024). Call for Presentations Social Media.
https://www.instagram.com/audiology.australia/p/DAFaQaGMB7f/
Sirisena, M. Audiological Society of Australia (2024). Speaker Interview Q & A.
Sirisena, M. Audiological Society of Australia (2023). Speaker Interview recruiting video “What do you love about being an audiologist?”.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/543784527931037
Sirisena, M. Ministry of Health (2022) NSW Allied Health Brand and Recruiting video.
Sirisena, M. & Jefferson, N (producer). Understanding Paediatric Audiology. ENT Expert Opinion. Audio podcast.
Retrieved from http://www.entexpertopinion.com/Podcasts.html (4 April 2014 12.09pm).
FUNDING GRANTS, AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS:
Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) 2024. Transdisciplinary Learning for Change. University of Technology Sydney.
Sirisena, M. Audiological Society of Australia Conference 2023 (Gold Coast). Awarded Best Clinical Presentation: When Your Clinical Instinct Trumps the Doctor and the Literature: Go With Your Gut. Case presentation Thalassemia and Conductive Hearing Loss. https://audiology.asn.au/membership/scholarships-and-awards/
Sirisena, M. Allied Health Workplace Learning Grant (HETI). The Children's Hospital at Westmead. 2022/2023.
Sirisena, M. Allied Health Workplace Learning Grant (HETI). The Children's Hospital at Westmead. 2016/2017.
Naidoo, M. Audiological Society of Australia Conference 2012 (Adelaide). Awarded the inaugural Laurie Upfold Award for Best Presentation “She’s not making much progress in Speech Therapy. Case Presentation Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. https://audiology.asn.au/membership/scholarships-and-awards/
