What does this service provide?
What we do
We specialise in the assessment and management of children’s hearing and hearing therapy for children aged 0 to 16 years.
Appointment information
Preparing for your appointment
Your child's appointment will take place in a soundproof room. Here you may meet one or two staff members depending on the age and needs of your child.
Assessment appointments will vary depending on your child's age and needs. The team will work with your child to determine the best way to test their hearing. This may include:
- visual reinforcement audiometry: some children's tests can involve listening to sounds from a speaker and your child turning to the sound. This response is then reinforced with a puppet or character on a screen. Headphones are then used to check each ear. There will be 2 members of staff present in this appointment
- play audiometry: for other children, headphones will be worn, and a game played with an assistant as part of the hearing test. Your child will complete a task with the toy(s) in the clinic room. There will be 2 members of staff present in this appointment
- pure tone audiometry: other children will wear headphones and press a button each time a sound is heard. This is usually with 1 audiologist present
Sometimes we may need to see your child 2–3 times before we obtain all of the results needed.
It is advisable not to bring other children to the appointment as their presence can affect the assessment.
You will be asked to switch mobile phones off and leave drinks and food in bags for the appointment.
Appointment types
We offer face to face appointments for any assessments, hearing aid fittings and reassessments.
We offer phone calls, video calls and face to face for hearing therapy.
What happens after my appointment or my treatment ends?
After your appointment you will be sent a copy of the assessment report and management plan. You may be discharged from the service if no further testing is needed, or you may be invited back for a review to gather further information or for monitoring. You may be referred on to the ear nose and throat department or to another audiology department for management of your child's hearing if necessary.
Your audiologist will tell you this in the appointment as well as in the report you will receive.
What happens if a hearing loss is identified during the appointment?
Your audiologist will spend time after the assessment explaining the results to you and your child. If a hearing loss has been identified, the type of this loss will be explained and management options for your child will be discussed with you. This may include a further assessment, monitoring the hearing loss or referral on to another service. Your audiologist may recommend hearing aids for your child. Whatever the diagnosis, your audiologist will be available to answer any questions you may have both during and after the appointment.
What do I do if my child is ill on the day of the appointment?
Please contact the audiology service and let us know as early as possible. We can then ensure a further appointment is made for you. We will also be able to offer the slot to someone else ensuring we keep our waiting lists to a minimum.
Will the assessment results be available at the end of the appointment?
We will always try our best to achieve results on appointments, but this is not always possible, and it may take several appointments to gain results for your child.
Do you remove ear wax?
If you have concerns about ear wax, we recommend seeing your GP.
Can I bring other children to the appointment?
It is best to make alternative arrangements for your child's siblings. To complete the hearing test we need the room to be very quiet and to not have any distractions. If you are unable to arrange for someone to look after your children we will try our best to make sure everything can go ahead on the day. You may bring an accompanying adult with you to sit with your other child in the waiting area.
What happens if I am late?
If you are late your child may not be seen or we may not be able to complete the assessment for your child. If this is the case, we would have to arrange another appointment.
What happens if I don't bring my child to their appointment?
We will notify the person who referred your child and/or your GP. They may have to make another referral to arrange another appointment.
How can I access this service?
A child can be referred from their GP, health visitor or another health professional involved in their care. Alternatively, parents can complete a self-referral form. We accept referrals for patients who meet the following criteria:
- parental or professional concern regarding their child’s hearing
- syndrome or health concern associated with hearing loss
- temporal bone fracture or serious head injury
- cranio-facial abnormalities, for example syndrome/cleft lip and palate
- ototoxic drugs, for example aminoglycoside therapy/chemotherapy
- significant speech and language delay (assessed by the Speech and Language Therapy team)
Where can I access this service?
Your clinic letters and appointment letters will confirm which clinic your appointment is at and will also include the clinic address and contact details.
Opening hours
Our clinics are open Monday to Friday, from 9:00am to 4:30pm. We are closed on weekends and bank holidays.
Waiting times
There is a 6 week wait for new referrals.
Clinic locations
During your appointment you will be advised of waiting times for your review, and it will also be provided in your outcome letter.
Where can I find resources for this service?
Joined up – website run by two parent carers who have a deaf son. The website offers support for families of children with a hearing impairment in
Brighton and Hove National deaf children’s society – website providing useful information and advice for deaf children and their families.
Sensory support for Crawley and Horsham area – website for West Sussex Council’s Sensory Support Team, who work directly with children and their families, pre-schools, and schools to support and promote the inclusion of children with a diagnosed visual impairment, hearing impairment or physical disability.
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This short video shows you how to change the battery of your hearing aid.
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Watch this short video showing how to change the slim tube on your hearing aid.
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My hearing aids
Information on the different types of hearing loss and why patients may need hearing aids, with advice on how to use them and look after them.
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