Audiology Services in Perth, WA
Audiology services at Telethon Speech & Hearing
Telethon Speech & Hearing is a non-profit organisation offering diagnostic hearing testing services for young children, including behavioural testing from 7 months of age.
As a specialist paediatric clinic, our audiologists have extensive experience testing children and can assist where other clinics maybe limited, for example children who:
- Are sufferings from ongoing ear infections
- Have multiple disabilities
- Are showing speech and/or language delay
- Have been difficult to test in the past.
No referral is needed to make an audiology testing appointment with our friendly, qualified team. Simply book an appointment with us online or over the phone.
Why test hearing?
Hearing sounds and words helps children learn to talk and understand. A child with hearing loss misses out on these sounds. This can cause problems with speaking, reading, school success, and social skills. It’s vital that a child’s hearing is checked at an early age and rechecked if they have ongoing ear infections or have had a serious illness.
Ongoing hearing loss for a child can lead to:
- Delayed speech and language development
- A drop in confidence and social skills
- Behavioural issues
- Learning difficulties in school
- Loneliness or trouble making friends.
Hearing problems can be temporary or permanent and differ from child to child. Early diagnosis and intervention for children with hearing concerns is critical. The earlier support is provided, the greater likelihood of success and outcomes for your child.
If you have any of the concerns below, your child should have an audiological (hearing) assessment:
- Concerns about speech development
- Concerns about listening
- Suspected ear infections
- Suspected hearing loss
- Poor educational outcomes
A hearing assessment by an audiologist will test your child’s hearing as well as the general health of their hearing system.
How is hearing tested?
Before testing is conducted, the audiologist will discuss your concerns and check any relevant medical or developmental history.
The next step is to look in the child’s ears, similar to the way a GP would. This is called an otoscopic examination and allows the audiologist to look for signs of infection or other abnormalities.
The audiologist may also perform an ear drum test. This quick and gentle test involves placing a probe in the ear canal to check for evidence of ear infections or other abnormalities with or behind the ear drum. This test is called tympanometry.
It’s also important to get an indication of the level of sound the child can hear. The way this is tested is dependent on the age and developmental age of the child.
At the time of testing, your audiologist will explain each test being undertaken and what results to expect.
Once your child has been tested, the audiologist will advise you on your child’s hearing levels and make any recommendations. This might include a referral to a speech pathologist or other health professionals if required. We can also forward a report of the assessment to your child’s doctor and provide guidance on what to do next.
Audiology Services for the Hearing Impaired
Audiology is the study of hearing, balance and related disorders.Audiologists are university trained professionals who undertake a range of roles including:
- Paediatric testing for newborns through to teenagers
- Providing clinical support to our hearing screeners and other professional staff
- Providing general information to families about hearing and hearing impairment
- Providing rehabilitation to hearing impaired children, including assisting with devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants.
Could I have hearing loss?
You could have hearing loss if you:- Often ask people to repeat themselves
- Turn up the volume of the radio or television
- Have difficulty following conversations in noisy places
- Have difficulty in understanding what is said over the phone
- Have a ringing sensation in the ear (tinnitus)
- Have problem in hearing sounds like doorbell, alarm or a telephone ringing
- Are told by people that you speak loudly
If I’m not sure about my hearing, what should I do?
Check your hearing! Get your hearing tested (audiometry) by a professional like Telethon Speech & Hearing. A hearing test is easy, pain free and doesn’t take long. Make sure you get it done as soon as possible. You can request an appointment with us online or call 9387 9888. There is no referral needed to see one of our audiologists.Who tests hearing?
At Telethon Speech & Hearing, we employ trained paediatric audiologists who have experience working with children.
Audiologists are university-trained health professionals who specialise in testing hearing and balance.
For more information about hearing testing at Telethon Speech & Hearing, request an appointment with us online or over the phone.
