Frequently Asked Questions

When should I have my hearing tested?

For adults, we would recommend annual hearing testing, especially after the age of 50 years.

If you are struggling to hear in noisy situations such as in restaurants, find you are putting the TV louder or asking for repetitions -a hearing test is recommended.

For children, we highly recommend that they are tested at birth (neonatal hearing screening), regularly during their preschool years and in grade 1 to ensure that hearing loss does not cause later speech, language, learning, reading , spelling and academic difficulties. We offer hearing screenings which are quick, easy, affordable and are done at the school. Contact us and we can liaise with your school to determine if we can do a hearing screening there.

At what age can we test hearing?

From 0-100 years. Different tests will be used at different ages, but we are able to test all ages. Look under our services tab for more information regarding the specific tests which will be conducted at the different ages.

What can I expect from my first hearing consultation?

The first consultation will usually take about an hour. We will start with a conversation about your reason for coming to the appointment. We will get information about your relevant medical history and family history of hearing loss. We will also discuss the symptoms, onset and description of your hearing loss to determine the impact it is making on your quality of life. We love having family members attend the consultation to provide insight and information as well as to receive tips to assist you hear better.

We will then go into our audio booth to do a battery of tests to be able to accurately assess your hearing loss. The results will then be discussed after the testing and a copy of your hearing test results (audiogram) will be given to you immediately or emailed. Recommendations and possible referrals will be made as necessary.

If I need a hearing aid, what next?

From the hearing test results and our discussion regarding your lifestyle, needs and budget, we will recommend suitable hearing aids for you. We offer hearing aid trials where you are able to trial the recommended hearing aids for a week to determine if you find benefit from them. If you wish to purchase the hearing aids, we will start the process of claiming monies available from your medical aid if applicable. You will be kept up to date on the payment process and fitted with your new hearing aids once they have been ordered.

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Do you charge medical aid rates?

We charge medical aid rates for our hearing services, however as each medical aid will set their own rates, there may be a small shortfall. You will be informed of this before you leave our offices.

Our speech-language therapy services are not charged at medical aid rates, although you should be able to get approximately 80% of the fees back from your medical aid. Assessments are payable at the initial consultation and speech-language therapy sessions are payable on a monthly basis. We have credit card facilities for easy payments.

How much are hearing aids and do medical aids pay for them?

Conventional air conduction hearing aids range from basic (approximately R6000) to premium (approximately R30 000). Hearing devices which use bone conduction may range from R43 000 to R118 000 as these devices usually require a surgery to implant part of the device. Hearing aids may require motivation and authorization from your medical aid. This may seem expensive, but hearing aids contain highly advanced microchips which are as powerful as your laptop. Your audiologist will be able to discuss options and recommendations that suit your hearing loss, medical condition, lifestyle and budget.

What can I expect from my child’s speech-language therapy assessment?

Depending on the age of your child, the first consultation will take between 1 to 2 hours. We will start with a conversation about your reason for coming to the appointment and get information about your child’s developmental, medical, feeding and birth history. A hearing test is also often recommended to rule out any hearing loss which may impact speech, language or learning development.

Formal testing using standardized norms, scales and observations will be used to determine your child’s strengths and weaknesses. These will be discussed with you and documented in a comprehensive report. Recommendations, possible referrals and a treatment plan will be discussed with you.

How often must my child come for speech-language therapy?

Conventionally, speech therapy sessions are conducted on a weekly basis. However, this process will be discussed with you and an individualised treatment plan will be devised for your child. We encourage parents to attend therapy sessions and become active participants not only in the therapy activities, but also in devising the treatment plans, goals and homework activities together with their therapist. This process assists in empowering parents in becoming the agents of change for their children.

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Since lunch time, I realised that my Apple keyboard “clicks” [no-one told me, I did not know]. There are more birds than I imagined. I have a voice (not a hum). The dog is tripping on the wooden floor. And that one cracks at places. Some sounds are double or complex, not single. I still must adapt to all that beauty and it is a lot. I just had the first dinner-long conversations (left and right) at the table, that was never before possible. I definitely need the Bi-CROS as it makes all the difference.

DrLissens

Dankie vir jou spesiale aandag aan my dogter met haar gehoorstel toets. Ons waardeer dit baie.

Giel

Using a hearing device gave me a tremendous improvement in quality of life. Hearing the sound of music, the sound of birds and interacting socially with your family and friends is an exceptional asset. According to my personal opinion, I will rather be blind than deaf. I want to pay a sincere tribute to Leesa King for her involvement with my audio frequency tests and the selecting of the appropriate hearing device every two years.

Mr Pelser

Megan, thanks for your professional service and excellent assistance in getting my new hearing aid.

Johan

I can attest that Lisa Calligaro adheres to a high standard of professionalism when dealing with my daughter’s speech therapy. We specifically chose Lisa because of her excellent work ethic and efficiency. Gabriella’s vast improvement in her speech is an example of that.

Anabela

Lisa played a significant and indispensable role in Rachel (bilateral cochlear implant user) now functioning appropriately in her speech, language and auditory processing areas. Lisa always demonstrated professionalism, dedication and reflected a genuine interest in Rachel’s progress, and I can, without hesitation, recommend Lisa.

Darryl

Thank you very much for your support and professional guidance to determine the right choice of hearing aid

Gerard

I am having so much fun now that I can hear the birds, the people, and my beloved dog Ruthie

Annebe

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this wonderful gift of new ears! These hearing aids are amazing, the sound is perfectly natural, and the earpieces are so comfortable that I quickly forget that I am wearing them! It really means a great deal to me.

Rev Clarke

I am a hearing aid wearer for the last 18 years and have been a patient of Calligaro and King Inc since 2008 and what an experience. The practice has not only accomodated me with appointments out of the ordinary, but in order to get my hearing aid setting to my specific needs, I actually also received a house call where the settings were done according to my normal day to day environment. I am convinced that no other audiologist has ever offered such a service. When my hearing aid had to be repaired 2 weeks ago it left me absolutely devastated due to the fact that I am then totally deaf. The audiologist offered me a demo hearing aid – needless to say this was an absolute lifesaver! I can really recommend this audiology practice to each and everyone – pay them a visit for a life changing experience.

Mrs A Fourie

Murder him or divorce him! He couldn’t hear me talk and the TV was so loud I had to leave the room. Before you do either of the above do what I did, I phoned Calligaro and King Inc and made an appointment for a hearing test. Now with a hearing aid in place, peace and contentment have returned to our home. Thank you Leesa and Lisa for your untiring and efficient service.

Margaret

Although I didn’t think I needed it, I have to admit I am very pleased with my hearing aid. Especially the little on/off switch. When my wife starts to nag I pretend to scratch my ear and quietly turn it off! Jokes aside, it has made a tremendous difference to my life. I can unreservedly say that the purchase of a hearing aid from Calligaro and King Inc is really a sound investment. You couldn’t find more caring and professional people to do business with.

Dave

After dealing with Lisa Calligaro from Calligaro and King for many years with my ear problems, Lisa helped me first to obtain my hearing aids when my hearing deteriorated. But the greatest help of all was when she helped me to obtain a BAHA last year June. This was the best thing that could have happened to me as I can hear so much better and not experiencing so much ear infections any more. Lisa has helped me tremendously and has always been available for questions and answers. She is a true Professional and the service I received from Lisa and her practice was and is exceptional!! Thank you Lisa so much for all your help.

Willemien