About Hearing

Professional Interactions

Audiologists within a multidisciplinary team approach:

Evaluating and rehabilitating a child or adult with a hearing loss require audiologists to work closely with other professionals. Members of this multidisciplinary team may include:

  1. Speech and language Pathologist: Although Speech- and language pathology and Audiology are two separate occupations, audiologists do have knowledge of different speech, language, voice and auditory processing disorders and most audiologists are also Speech- and language pathologists. Some audiologists do practice speech and language therapy and if not will refer the child to a therapist when an evaluation is recommended. Audiologists do recommend that all children receiving therapy should undergo a complete hearing evaluation in order to rule out any possibilityof permanent hearing loss.


  2. General Practitioner, Paediatrician and Ear Nose & Throat Specialists: An audiologist will refer your child or yourself to a medical doctor for the treatment of any outer or middle ear condition or infection. The Ear specialist will evaluate his findings with that of the hearing test results, and when necessary recommend surgery of the ear/s. Children with current allergies or upper respiratory infections may also present with a middle ear infection. Middle ear infections affect the hearing and should be referred for medical treatment.


  3. Teacher: Many children with permanent hearing loss who wear hearing aids are schooled in mainstream classes. Teachers should be trained regarding room acoustics, the use of frequency modulation systems and ways to improve communication with the hearing impaired child.


  4. Educational Psychologist and Psychologist: Children with behaviour, attention and learning difficulties must undergo a hearing evaluation by an audiologist, since even a minimal or mild hearing loss could be the cause of the above mentioned. Since a hearing loss affects the two way communication with other people it does affect their social, work, emotional well being of a person and has a negative effect on quality of life.


  5. Parents: The parents and spouses of a person with a permanent hearing loss are the most important persons of the team. Parents must learn all about the working of the hearing aids and ways to communicate with the child. It is also the responsibility of the parents to enrol in intensive speech and language therapy and report any progress.


  6. Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist: In some cases the child with a hearing impairment presents with other difficulties as well. Physical impairment (difficulty walking, moving arms etc) is treated by a physiotherapist. Fine motor difficulties (writing, hand-eye coordination etc) are treated by an Occupational Therapist. In some children, hearing impairment is one part of a syndrome (classified group of impairments).