New Plymouth | Stratford | Hāwera | 0800 751 000
Children are exploring, learning and discovering new things everyday.
They use all of their senses to interact, whether it’s picking things up to play, smell, or put in their mouths. Hearing is another one of those important senses that helps kids to get to know the world. And it’s just as important for you to know your child is learning and living to their full capacity.
Did you know?
Children experience both temporary and permanent hearing loss. We can help with both.
Hearing loss affects boys and girls equally.
Children with untreated hearing loss will likely experience difficulty learning.
More than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.
The sooner your child is tested the better their chances are of developing and learning at an age appropriate rate.
Children with permanent hearing loss are often provided treatment with hearing aids or cochlear implants as soon as possible to help keep them on track with their learning and development.
In Taranaki, hearing aids for children are fitted at Taranaki Base Hospital. If a permanent hearing loss is detected at Central Audiology, we will arrange the appropriate referral.
How do you spot hearing loss in your child?
Newborns are generally given a hearing screening at birth to make sure everything is okay. Even if your child has passed this, it’s important to watch for signs of hearing difficulty as they grow up. Indicators may be:
Limited, or underdeveloped speech
They are frequently inattentive when spoken to
Your child is having difficulty learning
They give unrelated or confusing responses in conversation
They often are unresponsive to their name being called
And they appear frustrated with background noise
If you haven’t checked on your child’s hearing or your child is experiencing two or more of these indicators it’s time to have them tested. We can test children from three years of age.
Auditory Processing Disorder APD
This condition occurs children have the ability to hear, however they are unable to fully understand what they are hearing. This occurs due the coordination between their ears and brain. About 1 in 20 New Zealand children suffer underlying learning disabilities due to APD. If we assess your child’s hearing, and feel further APD assessment is required, we can organise a referral to a specialist APD clinic in Auckland.
Don’t stress we’re here to help
At Central Audiology, we have experienced paediatric Audiologists, who understand that children are not just little adults. We can test children of all ages. When it comes to children’s hearing health the general rule is the sooner the better. With an early diagnosis children have a better chance of developing at an age appropriate rate and they’ll be able to get back to living life to the fullest.
We will look at:
Indepth hearing history
Check middle ear health
Pure tone or play audiometry
Otoacoustic emissions
Your Child’s Hearing Test will include:
• Hearing History
We’ll talk with you about your child’s hearing—any concerns you’ve noticed, symptoms they may have, and how these might be affecting their speech, learning, or behaviour.
• Otoscopy
A gentle look inside your child’s ears using a special light to check for things like earwax, fluid behind the eardrum, or signs of infection.
• Pure Tone or Play Audiometry
Depending on your child’s age, we’ll use fun, age-appropriate methods to measure how well they hear different sounds. This helps us understand how their inner ear is working.
• Speech Audiometry
We’ll assess how well your child hears and understands speech, which is important for language development and communication.
• Tympanometry
This test checks how the eardrum moves and whether there might be fluid or pressure problems in the middle ear—common in young children.
• Acoustic Reflex Testing
This helps us check the pathway between the hearing nerves and the brain.
• Comprehensive Report
We’ll send a detailed summary of your child’s results to your GP, paediatrician, ENT specialist, or other healthcare provider, and discuss the findings with you.
