Paediatric Audiology Services
Your child’s hearing test appointment: Information for you and your child
When your child has been referred for hearing assessment you will be offered an appointment at the James Paget hospital.
At this appointment we will assess your child’s hearing using techniques suitable to their level of development. This appointment may take up to 30 minutes. There will be one or two paediatric audiologists who will answer any questions you may have during and after the testing is complete.
To avoid distractions during testing, it would be helpful if other children did not come to this appointment. The James Paget University Hospitals is a teaching hospital and therefore there may be other health care professionals present. If you do not want them to attend your child’s appointment, please inform reception when you book in.
A hearing test is a simple, painless method of looking at the pathways of the ear. The hearing test may be performed by one or two audiologists in a sound treated room. When testing children, we have found that it works well if we treat the hearing test as a fun game.
The audiologist will start by taking a history and then move to the hearing test game. There are many ways to perform a hearing test on a child. We may perform just one test or a whole range of tests to obtain relevant information about your child’s hearing. As every child is different, we will decide which method to use when you attend your appointment.
To find out more about these tests please view our leaflet 'Your child's hearing test appointment' available on the Audiology drop down section of our leaflets page. Please click here to go to the leaflets page where you will also find more information about glue ear and hearing aids.
Useful links
National Deaf Children’s Society
Waveney Deaf Children's Society
Contact Ann Jillings
Email waveney@ndcsgroup.org.uk
Norfolk Deaf Children's Society
Contact Cerian Hutchings - info@norfolkdcs.co.uk
The Children’s Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG)
The Children’s Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG) at the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Trust (JPUH) is a multidisciplinary group which includes parents, representatives from health, education, social services and the voluntary sector. The remit of the CHSWG is to ensure that there is an effective, integrated delivery of service for deaf children and their families. Within this, working both strategically and at a local level, the group aims to develop, improve, monitor services and provide support for deaf children, their families and carers. The involvement of parents is essential to the success of the group.
The catchment area for the JPUH CHSWG is that of the NHS Gt Yarmouth & Waveney CCG and therefore has representatives from both Norfolk and Suffolk. The group meets quarterly and is fortunate to be able to maintain close working relationships between parents, member organisations and enable excellent cross border working.
Members include:
• Parents
• Newborn Hearing Screening
• Audiology
• Consultant Community Paediatricians
• Virtual Schools, Sensory Support – Norfolk
• Sensory and Communication Service – Suffolk
• Social Care, Norfolk County Council
• Teachers of the Deaf - Norfolk & Suffolk
• Educational Audiologist – Norfolk
• Speech & Language Therapy
• National Deaf Children’s Society – Eastern Region
• Waveney Deaf Children’s’ Society
If you would like to know more about the group and how to get involved please contact Jenette Powell, Head of Audiology 01493 452354