At Golden Ears Audiology Clinic, We provide Paediatric testing for children over the age of 3 years.
We provide Video Examination, Play Audiometry, Middle Ear testing and Otoacoustic Emission Testing.
The cost of a Paediatric Assessment is £99
Does you child need a Paediatric Assessment?
The following are signs of hearing loss in children:
– Delayed speech development
– They do not respond when you call them
– They struggle to hear in the classroom and a drop in school performance
– Withdrawal from other children and prefer to play alone
– Poor concentration
– Change in their behaviour such as tiredness or frustration
– Constant ear infections
– Turn the TV louder than the rest of the family
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need a hearing test
If you child is showing signs of hearing loss discussed on the Left side, they may need a hearing test.
Do you provide ear wax removal for children?
We offer microsuction for children from the age of 3 years at our clinic. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
What tests do you provide for children?
We offer Video otoscopy, Play audiometry, Speech testing, Tympanometry, Acoustic reflex testing and Otoacoustic emissions testing. More complex testing is available on request.
What is Play Audiometry?
This involves conditioning a child to engage in a play task such as putting men in a boat, building a tower etc when a sound is introduced through headphones, to measure their hearing levels.
What is Tympanometry and what information does it give?
Tympanometry assists in ruling out middle ear pathology. Children below the ages of 5 years are prone to suffer from otitis media. The test takes less than 1 minute on a cooperative child. A soft probe is inserted in the ear canal to record the movement of the ear drum when pressure is changed in the ear canal.
What is an Otoacoustic Emission test?
The purpose of an otoacoustic test is to determine the status of the outer hair cells. It is a sensitive test of hearing compared to a hearing test.
“Abnormal ear pulling in children may be a sign of a middle ear infection ”
Middle Ear Infections in children
Otitis media is the general term for middle ear infections.
In Acute Otitis Media, the middle ear gets inflamed and fills with fluid and the ear drum cannot move normally. Fever and ear ache are common symptoms.
In Otitis Media with Effusion (Glue ear), fluid remains in the middle ear even after the infection has cleared. This is a common cause of balance difficulties in child
In chronic Suppurative Otitis Media, there is chronic inflammation of the middle ear and mastoid cavity and discharge through a perforated ear drum and conductive hearing loss.
Middle ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria.
Viral infections (such as a cold/Upper respiratory tract infections) cause inflammation and swelling in the nasal passages and eustachian tube.
The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, and if it becomes blocked, fluid can build up in the middle ear. A middle ear infection can start when the fluid becomes infected.
Symptoms
Some of the signs in children of otitis media include enlarged cervical lymph nodes and reduced appetite.
Children may also display symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection, abnormal ear tugging, otorrhoea (discharge from the ear), hearing loss, irritability and not settling at night (pain increases when they are in supine position).
Complications of otitis media
Complications of otitis media include perforation of the tympanic membrane, otitis externa and mastoiditis, as well as other sequelae affecting balance, motor control and hearing.
Risk factors for Otitis Media
These include exposure to passive smoking in the household, bottle feeding, sibling history of otitis media, cleft palate, Down’s syndrome and frequent upper respiratory tract infections.
