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.
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.