Overview
The twins are identical in every way — including their hearing loss. Meet Oliver and Judah.
The Audiology Department at Rady Children’s offers a full range of evaluation and rehabilitative services for children and adults with hearing problems. Audiology services include a highly successful Cochlear Implant Program as well as a Balance Clinic, both staffed by a multidisciplinary team. We also offer hearing aid and assistive listening device evaluations and fittings for patients.
Our Audiology Department team works closely with the Speech-Language Pathology Department and Developmental Evaluation Clinic to ensure that any hearing problems associated with communication and social development are identified and treated early with care. We also work with several other specialties, including Ear, Nose and Throat, Genetics, and Hematology/Oncology.
Research has shown that if we identify hearing loss early in a child’s life and begin with audiology services as early as possible for the patient, it increases the child’s chances of developing spoken language. Untreated hearing loss can create a delay in the development of speech and language, which can ultimately reduce academic achievement and can lead to the creation of social isolation and poor self-esteem in a child or adult. It is our goal to ensure early identification of hearing problems and treatment for each child that we evaluate at our center.
You should be concerned that your child has hearing loss if he or she:
- Talks in a very loud or very soft voice.
- Seems to have difficulty responding when called from across the room, even when it is for something interesting.
- Turns his or her body so that the same ear is always turned toward sound.
- Is 3 years or older and has difficulty understanding what has been said or following directions.
- Often asks “what?”
- Has speech that is difficult to understand.
- Doesn’t startle when there are loud noises.
- Has small or deformed ears.
- Fails to develop sounds or words that would be appropriate at his or her age. (See Hearing Milestones for more information.)
For Referring Physicians
Please print and complete the Developmental Services Prescription Form.
Girl Scout-Earned Patch on Hearing Protection