Coventry Paediatric Audiology Referrals

For assessment of children with suspected hearing loss for hearing tests

There is NO dedicated referral form for this service

Children under 16 years :

Paediatric Audiology Clinic Child and Family Services 4th Floor City of Coventry Health Centre 2 Stoney Stanton Road CV1 4FS Tel: Paediatric Audiology admin 02476961092

Consider referring to hospital ENT if pain, perforation, etc.

See link for Grommets & Myringotomy in Children

What we do

The paediatric audiology service provides hearing assessment and rehabilitation for children of all ages from newborn to 18 years of age.

Children can be referred to our service via their GP, Health Visitor, Speech and Language therapist, Paediatrician, School Nurse or via the Newborn Hearing Screening Program (NHSP).

The team works closely with Speech and language therapy, ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) and Educational Audiology which is part of the Integrated Disability Service.

Contact

The Children’s Audiology Service:

• Woodloes Audiology Suite (adjacent to Woodloes Primary School) Deansway, Warwick CV34 5DF. Phone 01926 482668 (For Woodloes appointments)

Community Clinics:

• Riversley Park Centre Clinic Drive Nuneaton CV11 5TY
• Orchard Centre Lower Hillmorton Road Rugby CV21 3SR
• In exceptional circumstances a home visit can be arranged if deemed appropriate by the Audiologist.
• Phone 02476 378606 (For Nuneaton and Rugby appointments)

What to expect

The assessment process may vary depending on the age and development of your child.

The Audiologists will determine the most appropriate form of test for your child on the day of your appointment.

The appointments are typically booked for 30 minutes and include a hearing test or listening game, Otoscopy (ear examination), and Tympanometry (a measure of middle ear function), if required.

The test procedures will be explained to you during the appointment and will only be performed with your consent. None of the testing procedures are considered to be invasive.

You should receive an explanation of the results at the end of the appointment and copies of hearing tests can be provided upon request.

A summary of the appointment will be sent to you via post and a copy of this letter will be sent to the professional that referred your child.

Useful videos

• Infant hearing test – Audiology at the University of Canterbury
• Child hearing test – Audiology at the University of Canterbury

FAQ’s

How do I get an appointment for my child?

A written referral letter is required from a health professional i.e. GP, Health Visitor, Speech and Language Therapist, Paediatrician, ENT Consultant. Once we have received the referral letter we will make contact with you in order to book an appointment for your child’s hearing to be assessed.

If your child is already under the care of Paediatric Audiology you may contact us directly to arrange an appointment.

My baby did not pass their Newborn Hearing Screening, what happens now?

It is very common for the Newborn hearing screening test to be inconclusive after the first attempt and should not be a cause for concern. We will make contact with you to arrange an appointment for your baby to have a repeat hearing screening. These hearing tests ideally need to be performed under natural sleep and should be completed before your baby is 12 weeks old.

If repeated attempts at screening are still inconclusive, we will wish to arrange for further hearing assessments at the Woodloes Audiology Suite.

Where can I collect hearing aid batteries?

You can collect hearing aid batteries free of charge from the Audiology Department at Warwick Hospital. Alternatively, you can send us a stamped, addressed return envelope and we will post the batteries to your home.

My child has been diagnosed with a hearing loss, what happens now?

Your Audiologist may have discussed hearing aids or cochlear implants with you and will support you throughout the process. Excellent help and support is offered through the National Deaf Children’s Society.

• National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) Freephone Helpline: 0808 800 8880 (Voice and text) / helpline@ndcs.org.uk

My child also has other special needs, how do I make sure that they receive the support that they require?

When you book an appointment for your child to have a hearing assessment, please notify us of any special needs or special considerations so that we can make any necessary alterations for them.

If your child wears hearing aids the Integrated Disability Service can offer help and support at home and at school.

My Child has a hearing loss, but does not require hearing aids. What happens now?

Some children may have a unilateral (single sided) hearing loss or a very mild hearing loss overall. This can mean that hearing aids will be of limited benefit or may not be required at all. Most people with a single sided or very mild hearing loss manage very well in everyday listening situations and do not require any further management. Sometimes individuals can learn to compensate for a single sided hearing loss very effectively simply by learning to rely on their better hearing ear.

You can help your child with their hearing and listening by implementing a few simple listening strategies. Please refer to the “communication tactics” tab.

Any type of hearing loss will be monitored by the paediatric audiology team and your child should receive an appointment for a hearing test once a year on average. If you are concerned about changes to your child’s hearing you can contact the team directly to arrange an appointment.