Please let us know if you require an interpreter for your baby’s appointment.
If you cannot make the appointment please contact us as soon as possible so we can offer the appointment to someone else. It is important that we test your baby’s hearing as early as possible.
The test
- The test can take up to an hour and on some occasions a second appointment may be required to complete testing.
- The tests we carry out are similar to those that would have been carried out at birth.
- To obtain the most accurate results we require your baby to be asleep during testing. We may need to clean areas of your baby’s skin on their forehead and behind the ears, which may wake them. Thus it would be advisable to bring your baby to the appointment in a tired state and settle them after this.
- You will be able to feed and change your baby within the appointment time if necessary, as this will keep them comfortable and aid with their sleeping.
- It is important that the room is quiet throughout testing and that your baby is asleep, therefore it is advisable not to bring other children to the appointment, however we are happy for you to bring a friend or relative if you wish to.
- At the appointment we will ask you some questions relating to your baby’s health and hearing.
- We may also carry out a test to see if there is any congestion behind their eardrums, which involves putting a small rubber tip to the edge of the ear and puffing a small amount of air into the ear.
After the test
- We will discuss the results of the tests with you at the end of the appointment.
- At this stage we will advise you if any further testing needs to be done.
- You will have the opportunity to ask any questions.
If you have any questions before your appointment, please ring the paediatric audiology team on 01642 854071