Paediatric Audiology and Audiovestibular Medicine

What we do

The Paediatric Audiology and Audiovestibular Medicine department of Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust provides a comprehensive range of services for children with all types of hearing and balance problems.

This may include children with:

• Hearing loss due to Glue Ear
• Permanent hearing loss in children
• Children with speech and language delay
• Children with Social and Communication disorders such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Children with learning difficulties who need to have their hearing assessed
• Children getting repeated ear infections
• Children with increased sensitivity to loud sounds (Hyperacusis, sound intolerance)
• Children complaining of noises in their ears (tinnitus)
• Children who have problems with hearing and processing auditory information in spite of having normal hearing levels (Auditory Processing Difficulties)
• Children complaining of dizziness or having balance problems that is thought to be inner ear related
• Children who use hearing aids

The above list is not exhaustive and we also see children with other types of hearing or balance problems.

The department is based at St Catherine’s Health Centre, where there are purpose built state of the art facilities for carrying out hearing tests on children. 

We try and ensure that children referred to us are seen and managed within the NHS set time frame of 18 weeks from referral to treatment