Teaching deaf children and young adults has to be underpinned by Audiology.

Audiology is a pathway, from the diagnosis to good effective use, and understanding of amplification. It is important that the child’s access to the auditory stimulus is maximised and used appropriately in their education from the earliest opportunity. This is especially important for a child who has adopted an auditory/aural mode of communication. If an auditory or speech signal is not audible then its use in the development of oral language will be limited. The acoustic environment must also be maximised. The auditory ability of the child will also be affected by the degree of hearing loss and other associated factors (genetics, medication, family history of deafness etc).

Subsequently the audiogram can limit the effect a loss can have on the individual. Similar audiograms can often result in different outcomes from each, which may be a result of social and emotional backgrounds, auditory imput, clinical and educational support and the childs (re)habilitation. Development of hearing instrument technology and the process used to prescribe them have improved tremendously over the last several years, as well as the increased research and expertise in the area of cochlea implantation.

Digital Signal Processing within hearing instruments can give the hearing impaired access to a greater frequency range of sounds that were not always accessible before in analogue technology. The audiology department at St John’s is there to enhance and support our pupils’ local provision from their NHS service. Daily checks to ensure that each child’s hearing instrument is functioning are carried out at the beginning of every day, by form teachers. Any problems are referred to the audiology department which is able to carry out a wide range of tests to examine the functioning of the child’s auditory system, with and without amplification. Earmould impressions are also taken.

The school  audiologist has a clinical background and brings a depth of knowledge on this subject. He is also an Educational audiologist and can  apply educational understanding to his clinical knowledge. All children are seen routinely every term and more frequently on request from teachers, care staff and parents if there are any concerns

The audiologist also works closely with the school nurse to manage any ear related medical problems that may affect the daily use of their hearing instruments.