Child

You are here: Home Child

Normal hearing is critical in the acquisition of language and speech skills in a developing child. A hearing loss will also impact on cognitive and psychosocial development.

Early detection of a hearing loss is criticalin taking remedial action in either treating and correcting the hearing problem or providing amplification through hearing aids or a cochlear implant.

We are registered with the Victorian Infant Screening Hearing Program (VISHP) and perform diagnostic audiological / electrophysiological hearing function tests on babies who have failed their hospital hearing screening test.

At Hearlink we are equipped to assess hearing function from newborn. Our qualified audiologists will perform a variety of age appropriate hearing function tests including objective electrophysiological tests. We have state of the art equipment and promise above all, accuracy in the correct diagnosis of hearing impairment.

Paediatric Audiology Services

Private, Public (bulk bill-free) & Medicare (gap fee) Subsidized Services We provide private hearing services as well as public (free) and medicare gap fee services (shorter waiting period). Our public and medicare funded hearing services are provided through Melton Health where we also provide private hearing services . Private diagnostic hearing services are available at a number of locations around Melbourne including Belmont (Geelong).

Comprehensive Diagnostic Electrophysiological & Behavioural Hearing Evaluations

Ages: from newborn


 

Tel: 03 97477600 – Public (bulk bill-free) & Medicare (gap fee) Subsidized Services (for children under 16years)

Tel: 03 93262231 - Private Services for children of all ages


Audiologists:

 

  • George Themistoklis
  • Yen Ho
  • Anna Ly
  • Michelle Loeliger
  • Katherine Ververis

 

 

195 - 209 Barries Road, Melton Health, MELTON WEST, 3337
Melton Health: Private, Public (free) & Medicare Subsidized (gap fee) Services
3/19 Norwood Crescent, MOONEE PONDS, 3039

Moonee Ponds: Private Services only
Other Locations for Private only Audiology Services

  • Level 1,13 - 15 Lake Street, CAROLINE SPRINGS, 3023, tel: 9326 2231
  • MD Clinic, 2/22 Victoria Crescent, ST ALBANS, 3021, tel: 9326 2231
  • Sunbury Private Hospital, Cnr. Riddell Rd & Spavin Ave., SUNBURY, 3429, tel: 9326 2231
  • Glenroy Road Clinic,182 Glenroy Road, GLENROY, 3046, tel: 9326 2231
  • Kardinia Health, 2 - 18 Colac Road, BELMONT (Geelong) 3216, tel: 5241 6400

Central Auditory Processing

What is Central Auditory Processing?

Very concisely stated, central auditory processing may be explained as "what the brain does with what the ears hear" (Katz, 1994).

Central Auditory Processing (CAP) refers to a group of skills, which we use to interpret and store what we have heard. CAP skills typically develop in the first five years of life along with receptive and expressive language. Children who have a delay or disruption in the development of these skills may have Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD).

Diagnosing CAPD

The diagnosis of CAPD begins with an audiological evaluation. From there, the audiologist will administer a battery of specialised word, and sentence recognition tests designed to measure the child''s auditory performance. These tests are designed to simulate the stress on the child''s auditory system during daily listening activities. Specific weakness areas will be identified and recommendations will be made to assist parents and teachers to create an acoustic environment more conducive to improving listening skills

With older children ( 6 years and above) we perform Central Auditory Processing (CAP) tests where it is suspected the child may be having difficulty with hearing adequately in the classroom where there is background noise. We use the Australian developed LiSN-S (Listening in Spatialized Noise – Sentences Test). We now have the NAL (National Acoustics Laboratories) developed LiSN & Learn, auditory training program for children who are shown to have a specific type of CAPD ( CAP Dysfunction) called Spatial Processing Disorder (SPD).

Children suspected of having difficulties in communicating in noisy classrooms and especially those who have been diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing problems, typically show delays in learning and difficulties in following instructions. Noisy classrooms can affect a student’s learning and understanding capabilities. Other factors affecting the classroom environment include distance of child to the teacher and reverberation.

At Hearlink we offer specialize in digital wireless telecommunication systems to facilitate communication between the teacher and the child in a typical classroom situation including noisy classrooms

An efficient way of overcoming background noise problems is the use of an FM system. A wirless FM system consists of a transmitter which picks up the voice of the speaker (in this case the teacher''s) and sends it to the receiver (the child''s listening device, which could be an ear type device or headphones).

iSense Micro is a miniaturised and discrete FM receiver developed by PHONAK, for children with normal hearing thresholds, but who have difficulties understanding language and learning in background noise and over distance. It allows the student to hear the teacher’s voice even in the most challenging listening situations.