Audiology Greenwich

The Audiology service provides diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for children with ear diseases and/or hearing loss. The service works closely with education and speech and language therapy services, as well as other agencies that care for children with hearing difficulties. Where clinically necessary, service users may be referred to ear, nose and throat services.  

How to access this service

Referrals will be accepted for children who have failed two hearing screening tests with a health visitor, community paediatrician or school nurse or where concern has been expressed by a parent, teacher or other professional. Urgent referrals can be made for children who:

• have had bacterial meningitis
• have a family history of hearing loss
• were born prematurely
• had neonatal complications
• have severe speech delay.

Referrals should be made in writing and sent to the Audiologist at the address on the right.

Newborn Hearing Screening Test

All newborn babies should be offered a newborn hearing screening test. In Greenwich, this is offered at the new birth visit by your Health Visitor. If the Health Visitor is unable to get a positive result, then a further alternative test will be offered in clinic. If this test is unable to give a positive result, your baby will be referred for diagnostic hearing testing.

Babies admitted into the Special Care Baby Unit after birth will be given the hearing screening test there instead of with a health visitor.

This test is designed to find out if a newborn baby can hear speech at different audio levels – this is related to speech development. 

If you need any help accessing the service you can contact your Health Visitor or call the telephone number on the right. For more information about the Newborn Hearing Screening Test, click on the view website link on the right.

Categories

• Community health services (children)

Services provided

• Audiology