Audiology appointment ensures proper checks of the hearing level, hearing device and managing the auditory health of the child. Parent involvement is very important for the success of audiology appointments. This ensures and builds a partnership between the parent and the audiologist, thus making the appointment a learning process on ways of assisting the child.
#1: Becoming Comfortable
An audiologist with vast experience with children can relate well with the child and the family, thus, developing a good working relationship, comfort, and trust. A recommendation should be inquired from their child’s Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist or other families if the parent wishes to change the child audiologist.
#2: Scheduling Appointments
A child’s age, hearing loss or type of listening device determines the number of appointment needed with an audiologist. It can be between 3 and 6-month interval. Children under the age of 8, having a hearing loss should visit the audiologist more than once a year. Children with auditory neuropathy should visit the audiologist after every 6month or when there is concern about hearing.
#3: Asking questions
Hearing levels are marked by audiologist which is followed by questions to and from the child. The parent, child, and audiologist can discuss sound awareness, sound responses sound discomforts and speech sound differences. The question asked and answers given help to ascertain if hearing aid or implant needs adjustments or refer them to the ENT specialist like Audiologie Centre-Ouest.
#4: Checking Device
A parent can learn how to check hearing aid, cochlear implant and/or FM, also troubleshooting devices. A malfunctioning device can have an effect on the child’s listening and speech. An appointment should be made with the audiologist in case of concerns.
#5: Providing Information
The child service providers should be intimated about the child listening abilities by the audiologist on the request of the parent.
#6: Reporting progress
The impact of the listening device, hearing aid settings and cochlear implant on child’s school performance can be reported to the parent and the audiologist. This should include the concerns and success. Progress can also be reported by a child’s speech Language or auditory verb therapist.
#7: Documenting Listening
Teachers and Family can document a child listening and this is reviewed and shared with the audiologist
Concerns and improvement from the parent about the settings at which the child listen well or have difficulty listening, distances that result in best responses, and sound the child hears often and doesn’t hear. These worries are passed to the audiologist with other questions the parents need answers to.
#8: Discussing Decisions
Efficient discussion among the parent, child, and audiologist will help calm the concern and questions of everyone. These discussions give an idea about changes and improvements while taking the child suggestions very important.
#9: Forming Partnership
The partnership among Parent, child, and audiologist help to provide a large pool of information from everyone thus helping to identify a specific strategy to best fit the child.
