Hearing Impairment

If you have not already done so, it may be helpful to read through Special Educational Needs before reading this page.

Information on this page is derived from:
Directgov / Department for Education / nhs.uk

Definition

Hearing impairment, or deafness, is a partial or total inability to hear. This may be caused by a condition or injury.

Hearing Loss is when there is diminished sensitivity to the sounds normally heard.

Deafness is when a person is unable to understand speech even when it is amplified.

BACK TO TOP

Signs and Characteristics

You should consider seeing your GP if you notice your child:

is delayed in learning to talk, or they are not clear when they speak

often asks you to repeat yourself

often talks very loudly

often turns up the volume of the TV so that it is very loud

For more information please visit: nhs.uk

BACK TO TOP

Diagnosis

You can find an online hearing test on the Action on Hearing Loss website.

You should contact your GP if you think your child is having problems with their hearing.

The GP may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist or an audiologist (a hearing specialist). The specialist will carry out further tests to help determine what is causing your hearing loss and recommend the best course of treatment.

For more information please visit: nhs.uk

BACK TO TOP

Support

How hearing impairment is treated will depend on the underlying cause of the condition.

You can find services for Hearing impairment and deaf support here: Find Services

For more information please visit: nhs.uk

BACK TO TOP

☎ Useful Contacts

UK Schools	schoolswebdirectory.co.uk
Local Educational Authorities	LEAs
NHS	nhs.uk
British Deaf Association	bda.org.uk
Action on Hearing Loss	actiononhearingloss.org.uk
Hearing Link	hearingconcernlink.org
Diagnostic Assessment	Contacts Directory
Specialist Support	Contacts Directory
Assistive Technology Trainers	Contacts Directory