COVID-19 Update (June 2021)
Routine face to face appointments and clinic locations are still limited due to the pandemic.
Please contact us for advice and information, especially if you think your child's hearing has become worse or there is a problem with their hearing aid.
Contact us on 01495 353050 or email Community.Audiology.ABB@wales.nhs.uk, if you have a query about your child’s hearing, hearing aid or appointment.
Children’s Audiology is a multi-disciplinary team consisting of audiologists, assistant audiologists, school hearing screeners and administrative support. We assess, manage and treat children of all ages and abilities, including children with complex additional needs. We liaise closely with our colleagues in the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme, ENT doctors, the adult audiology team and Hearing Impaired Service (an educational service providing advice to schools), to ensure a thorough and smooth service is provided for all children.
Tel: 01495 353050
Email: Community.Audiology.ABB@wales.nhs.uk
During the appointment, the Audiologist will carry out a hearing test for your child. If your child is old enough (usually from about 3 years old) they will be asked to listen to sounds through headphones placed over their ears and to respond when they hear them. They may be asked to press a button or place a toy in a certain place when they hear the sound. If your child is younger, sounds will be played to them from a speaker or by a tester behind them. When they turn to look for the source of the sound, they will be rewarded by seeing some toys light up or by the praise of the tester. In both of these tests, the Audiologist can then assess the quietest sounds your child can hear.
Your child may also need a further test to check the movement of their ear drums. The audiologist will look in your child’s ears using a bright light and then we will place a small tip into each ear in turn and blow a puff of air into the ear. This should not cause any discomfort but the ear will feel blocked while the test is carried out.
We will assume your consent for your child to have any of these tests carried out, when you attend the appointment. Please feel free to say during the appointment if you do not wish the tests to continue.
We will ask about any difficulties your child has with their hearing and how long they have had these difficulties. We will also ask for details of your child’s birth history, general development and speech development. This information will help us decide whether they need any help with their hearing.
We always discuss the results of any tests with parents/guardians. We would talk through the effect of any hearing loss on your child’s speech, social, educational and general development. Following this discussion, we decide on the best course of action for your child and family. That might include one of the following:
If you decide to use a hearing aid then we will take an impression of one or both of your child’s ears. This will involve the Audiologist placing a small sponge into your child’s ear canal followed by some soft material which will set within a couple of minutes. We will then remove the impression material and sponge from their ear. There should be no discomfort but your child’s ear will feel blocked while the impression material is in the ear. We will use this impression to make an ear mould which is individually fitted for your child’s ear.
Please contact us if you have any further questions about your child’s appointment using the telephone number or email address above.
The National Deaf Children’s Society
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/ - Information and support for deaf children and their families.
Speech and Language Therapy in Gwent
http://www.sltgwentabhb.wales.nhs.uk/does-my-child-need-speech-and-language - Advice and information for Speech and Language Therapy.
How to improve your child’s listening skills.
Children with normal hearing and hearing loss will benefit from playing these listening games.
Helping a child that is sensitive to sounds.
It is common for children to become sensitive to sounds and most grow out of it. This leaflet contains ways of managing sensitivity to sounds.
British Tinnitus Association
https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/support-for-children - Tinnitus support and information for children and their family.
Advanced Bionics Rehab Portal
http://www.abrehabportal.com/ - Various rehabilitation tools for children with hearing aids and cochlear implants.
British Sign Language
https://www.british-sign.co.uk/learn-online-british-sign-language-course/
C2Hear
https://www.c2hearonline.com/ - Information about hearing aids, instructional videos and troubleshooting.
SenCom Hearing Impaired Service
https://sites.google.com/view/hi-service-sencom/home - The service provides specialist training and advice to schools and pre-school settings on communication skills, language development, specialist audiological equipment and the inclusion of children and young people with a hearing impairment, as well as guidance and support to families of children with a hearing impairment.