Paediatric Hearing Test
Children off all ages can run into ear problems and we are here to help make things as smooth and straightforward as possible. Not all audiologists are Paediatric Audiologists, however at Ivy Audiology, we specialise in paediatric testing with an extensive history of working with children including holding current working with children’s checks. Our Principal Audiologist Penny Newbury has two young children and understands the importance of making sessions not only warm and inviting, but also flexible for both you and your child.
What to expect at this appointment:
During this session your audiologist will start by taking a case history which involves asking you questions relating to your concerns, as well as your child’s ear health and developmental history. This is followed by looking inside your child’s ears (otoscopic examination), completing a middle ear function test (tympanometry), hearing test as well as speech testing where possible. This is followed by a discussion of the results, interpretation and management options where indicated.
Based on your child’s age, testing may include
VRA – Used for younger children, the child is taught to turn their head towards a sound before associating it with a particular visual stimulus like a toy or a puppet.
Play Audiometry – Suited for pre-school to early school aged children which requires the child to provide a response through game play when they hear a noise.
Pure Tone Audiometry – similar to testing used with adults is usually suitable for older children and teenagers.
Depending on your child’s age and developmental level, combinations of these tests may be used to obtain a full set of results.
Does my child need a hearing test?
If you have noticed any of the following, particularly if concerns are persistent, please contact us to arrange a hearing test at your next convenience:
Child asks for repetition often
Turing the television up louder than usual
Needing to be called several times before responding (more than usual/expected)
History of middle ear issues
Misinterpreting what family/people say
Loud talker
Frustration when talking to or visiting people
Drop in school performance
Reported blocked feeling in ears
Concerns with speech and language development
Family history of hearing loss, particularly from a young age
If you would like to arrange a hearing test for your child, or have any questions regarding appointments, please contact us on 0420 334 093 or fill out our online contact form.
Does my child need an Educational Assessment?
For some children hearing difficulties or delays in their auditory processing development can display as difficulties with their educational development.
Concerns may include:
Difficulty with literacy development (poor performance, slow retention of high frequency words, mishearing letter-sound combinations, poor comprehension)
Difficulty with numeracy development
Concerns with classroom attention not seen in other environments
Concerns with memory for learning
Plateau in educational development/performance
Struggles to learn and complete work in noisy classroom
Increase in anxiety
Our standard hearing test can be extended to include screeners for auditory processing if you are concerned, or if the audiologist feels this may help clarify concerns. For more information see our information regarding Central Auditory Processing Assessments.