Audiology services

The importance of early detection

Early detection is crucial for babies and toddlers with a profound or severe deafness.

With early identification, these children can be fitted with hearing aids or cochlear implants and can then receive appropriate intervention from an early age – ideally before six months of age. If deaf children are fitted with effective technology and take part in a well-designed early intervention programme, many can achieve age-appropriate speech and language by the time they are ready to start primary school.

Because The Elizabeth Foundation understands the value of early diagnosis and effective intervention, as soon as we were set up over 45 years ago we started campaigning for babies to be screened at birth for deafness. We are delighted that the national newborn hearing screening programme means that all babies have their hearing routinely tested shortly after they are born.

Working in partnership

At our Ovingdean Audiology Centre, we have a unique and pioneering partnership with the Children’s Hearing Services Team at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust that operates NHS services for children from Portsmouth and the local area in our purpose-built facilities.

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust has one of the busiest children’s audiology departments in the UK, screening over 12,000 babies every year. Most babies have their first screening test where they are born, but many arrive at our Ovingdean Audiology Centre for their first screening test, having missed it for one reason or another at the hospital.

If a baby’s initial screening test suggests that further investigation is necessary, they are referred to the experienced and NHS specialist children’s audiologists housed in our Ovingdean Audiology Centre for more detailed audiological tests. Most babies born with deafness have their deafness identified between five and seven weeks old.

The NHS Children’s Hearing Services Team also conducts tests on children during their preschool years, including children who have been referred to them at our Ovingdean Audiology Centre by their family doctor (GP) because of concerns about possible temporary or permanent deafness.

At our Ovingdean Audiology Centre we also host a satellite service provided by the University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service (USAIS) providing cochlear implant follow-up appointments to children under their care.

Providing a wrap-around service

From the moment a child has been identified as having a permanent deafness by the NHS Children’s Hearing Services Team based in our Ovingdean Audiology Centre, the child and their parents/carers are able to access The Elizabeth Foundation’s experienced and expert support, alongside our wide range of services including specially-designed baby, toddler and preschool intervention programmes.

Children aged up to 3 years of age diagnosed with a unilateral (one-sided) or conductive (temporary) hearing loss can access our monthly Listen! Support Groups.