Weather disruption
Winter weather is causing disruption to services in some parts of the county. Find out what services may be affected in your area.
The Hearing Support Service (HSS) provides advice and support for children and young people with a diagnosed hearing loss. We work closely with the Dorset NHS Audiology Service and the Southampton University Auditory Implant Service (USAIS) to manage and maintain listening devices such as:
- hearing aids
- cochlear implant speech processors
- bone anchored listening devices
- radio aids
Dorset children’s audiology clinics and services
In Dorset, the children’s (Paediatric) Audiology Service is based in two centres and children will be seen by the specialist children’s audiology team. There are several different types of hearing tests which are used to check and monitor hearing depending on the child’s age and ability. The Children’s Audiology Clinics provide a wide range of services including:
- assessment of hearing levels
- diagnosis of the type and degree of hearing loss
- provision of hearing aids
- ear mould service
- regular monitoring of your child’s hearing
- reports for parents and professionals
- partnership work with the Educational Audiologist from the HSS
- liaison with the Advisory Teachers (Teacher of the Deaf) in the HSS
There is partnership work with other professionals:
- Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
- Consultant Paediatricians
- University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service (USAIS)
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Health Visitors
Referral to Audiology is made following an initial assessment with a Health Visitor, School Nurse or GP. Following referral, the maximum waiting time for the first hearing assessment by Audiology is 6 weeks.
The East Dorset children’s audiology service is based at Boscombe.
The West Dorset children’s audiology service is based at Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester.
The parents’ guide to audiology services from the NCDS provides information:
- about different hearing assessments
- on what to expect at an Audiology appointment
Hearing assessments for babies. The newborn hearing screening programme
All babies are routinely checked for hearing. This is called the newborn hearing screening programme (NHSP) which normally happens within the few weeks of birth.
The NCDS has produced a parents guide to help you understand what happens at a hearing assessment.
If your baby needs a follow-up appointment, they are held in Boscombe if you are in East Dorset. If you live in West Dorset they are held in Dorchester.
Technology is an important part of everyday life for deaf children and young people. It can be useful in education, at home or at work. There are products that can help with most things such as:
- waking up in the morning
- communicating with others
- socialising with friends
- travelling around
Read further information about technology for deaf children and young people.
Hearing aids
Hearing aids are issued by Audiology and children are supported to wear and look after their hearing aids by the HSS. Hearing aids work by amplifying sounds and are digitally programmed to match the child’s hearing loss.
Find out more about hearing aids for your child.
Cochlear implants
Cochlear implants are usually suitable for children with profound permanent deafness. Cochlear implants work by providing a sensation of hearing directly to the cochlea which stimulates the auditory nerves by using electrical signals.
Find out more about cochlear implants.
Bone conduction hearing devices
Bone conduction hearing devices work by transiting sound vibrations through the bone behind the ear. There are three types of bone conduction hearing devices:
- bone conduction hearing aids which are worn with a soft headband
- bone conduction hearing implants which are attached with a magnet under the skin, known as a skin drive device
- bone conduction hearing implants which have an abutment, known as a direct drive device
Radio aids
Radio aids are issued and maintained by the HSS. Parents can read the NCDS guide about how radio aids can help.
Types of hearing loss
There are many reasons why a child might be born deaf or become deaf in childhood. Although not knowing the cause of deafness can be very upsetting, it isn’t always possible to identify the reason. You may be offered tests to try to find the cause of your child’s deafness but they will only be able to identify the cause in 40% to 50% of children.
Some of the most common reasons for deafness are: