Audiology & Hearing Services for Children
Concerned about your child’s hearing?
If you’re concerned about your child’s hearing or speech, seeking professional support can be a positive first step. We’re here to listen, guide and make the process as easy as possible.
Our specialised paediatric audiologists provide gentle, child-focused hearing services in a welcoming environment. We understand that hearing assessments can be daunting, so we create a supportive experience to ensure everyone feels comfortable and understood throughout their journey.
Our hearing services include:
- Hearing assessments tailored to your child’s developmental stage
- Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) testing and treating your child’s difficulties to hear and listen in challenging environments, like a classroom
- Cochlear implant support providing school-based support after implantation
- Hearing technology management for children using hearing aids and assistive devices
- Integrated support connecting audiology with speech pathology and educational services
Our services are available at multiple locations across Perth, including Wembley, Joondalup, and Cockburn, making quality hearing care more accessible for Western Australian families.
Signs your child might need a hearing test
For Babies and Toddlers:
- Not startling to loud sounds or turning toward voices
- Delayed speech and language development
- Limited or unclear babbling and vocalisation
- Not responding consistently to their name
- Frequent ear infections or ear pulling
Signs your child might need a hearing test
For School-Aged Children:
- Difficulty following conversations, especially in noisy environments
- Frequently asking for repetition or saying “what?”
- Turning up the volume on devices
- Complaints from teachers about attention or listening
- Academic challenges, particularly with reading and language skills
- Fatigue after school from listening effort
Baby Hearing Test (Newborn – 8 months)
Many parents are familiar with the Newborn Hearing Screening performed in hospital shortly after birth. In some cases, a baby is referred to a specialised paediatric audiologist to complete a diagnostic hearing test. In these instances, we offer a tailored range of tests to see how different parts of your child’s hearing system function.
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing for babies 8 months and younger, is conducted while your baby is comfortably asleep. It involves the observation and measurement of very small nerve responses to sound.
Infants and Toddlers Hearing Test (8 months – 3 years)
Once your child is comfortable wearing earphones and following simple instructions, our assessments become more interactive:
- Visual Reinforcement Audiometry using lights and animated toys to engage toddlers
- Middle ear function tests to identify potential causes of temporary hearing loss
- Play audiometry using game-like activities to test responses to various pitch-specific sounds
- Speech perception testing to evaluate how well your child understands spoken conversation
- Comprehensive evaluations of hearing acuity and speech understanding
Children often leave our clinic feeling confident and proud of their listening skills.
School-aged Hearing Test (4 – 18 years)
For school-aged children, we offer more advanced assessments:
- Conventional audiometry adapted to be engaging and age-appropriate
- Extended speech testing to evaluate communication abilities in various conditions
- Functional listening assessments relevant to classroom and social environments
- Self-reporting measures for older children to share their listening experiences
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) assessment and treatment
Auditory Processing Disorder affects how the brain processes and interprets sound, particularly speech. Many children with APD pass standard hearing tests but struggle to understand speech, especially in noisy environments like classrooms.
Why might my child need an APD test?
APD is a hearing difficulty where the ears receive sound normally, but the brain struggles to interpret and make sense of these sounds. Children with APD typically have normal hearing sensitivity but have difficulty with:
- Understanding speech in noisy environments
- Following complex verbal instructions
- Distinguishing between similar sounds
- Sound localisation
- Learning and memory tasks related to auditory information
APD can significantly impact academic achievement and learning potential. It often coexists with other conditions such as autism, ADHD, and speech and language difficulties.
Our comprehensive APD assessment
APD assessments are available at the TSH Joondalup (and soon to be Wembley) locations includes:
- Standard hearing evaluation to rule out hearing loss
- Specialised auditory tests examining different listening processing skills
- Short-term auditory memory evaluation
- Speech-in-noise testing to assess understanding in challenging listening conditions
- Dichotic listening tests – processing different information in each ear
- Temporal processing assessment – how the brain processes sound timing presented to each ear
What are the treatment approaches for APD?
Based on your child’s assessment results, our audiologists will recommend personalised treatment options from three main approaches:
- Auditory Training Programs – Regular computer-based exercises that strengthen specific processing skills
- Assistive Hearing Technology – Devices that improve access to speech in challenging environments
- Environmental Modifications – Strategies for home and classroom to optimise listening conditions
It may be recommended that you also consult with a speech-language therapist, education specialists, and other professionals for the effective management of your child’s APD. Our Audiology team will guide you through the process as required.
Cochlear Implant Support Program
TSH offers specialised support for children in their cochlear implant (CI) journey, providing school supports.
The benefit of TSH’s program is our “under one roof” approach -children can access audiological care, listening and speech therapy, family counselling, and school support in one location with a coordinated team.
Who can access TSH Cochlear Implant Support?
Any child with a cochlear implant who is enrolled in our programs, can choose to be supported by specialist paediatric audiologists at TSH. Our integrated approach includes:
- Device maintenance and troubleshooting support
- Coordinated therapy with specialists and educators
- School support to optimise classroom listening environments
Getting Started with TSH hearing services
Booking your child’s hearing assessment is simple:
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- Book online, or contact our friendly team at (08) 9387 9888 or through our contact form. Our administration staff will be in touch with you to offer you an appointment date and location convenient to you.
- You’ll receive pre-appointment information to help you prepare for your visit, what to expect, and a link to complete an ear health and speech history form. If your child has had a previous hearing test, please bring it to the appointment or email the results.
- Attend your appointment with our specialised paediatric audiologists. Once the testing is completed, the audiologist will discuss the outcome and provide you with the necessary recommendations including further assessment or treatment if warranted.
What parents say about our audiology services
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
If you have concerns about your child’s hearing, language development, attention, or learning, a hearing assessment can provide valuable information. Trust your instincts – if you’re concerned, it’s worth checking.
No referral is required for our fee-based audiology services. However, if you have a referral from your GP, pediatrician, or other specialist, it may allow for Medicare rebate of certain services.
The scope of hearing tests required during assessments are tailored to your child’s age and developmental stages and so duration may vary. Typically allow one hour for the consultation and assessment.
Our testing methods are gentle and non-invasive. We use age-appropriate techniques that often feel like games to children, and our audiologists are experts at creating positive, stress-free experiences.
Referral to TSH is easy. Please fill in the referral form or simply send a request to speech@tsh.org.au. If you need to talk to us, you can reach our friendly Front of House staff on (08) 9387 9888.
A standard hearing test evaluates how well the ear detects sounds at different pitches and volumes. An APD assessment examines how the brain processes and makes sense of those sounds, particularly speech sounds in challenging listening conditions.
Absolutely. Our team of specialised audiologists are trained to use tests like ABR to assess babies and young children’s hearing under natural sleep. For more information, please contact our staff.
A comprehensive APD assessment typically requires two sessions to complete, each around 1.5 hours. This may vary depending on the needs of the child. A comprehensive report and set of recommendations are generated following the assessment, including treatment and therapy required.
Our hearing services offer various funding pathways:
- Medicare rebate with valid referral
- Learn more about NDIS funding options
- Fee for service
- Hearing Australia coverage for the cost of maintenance, repairs and upgrades
NB. A fee relief option may be available for eligible clients on a case by case basis.
Got a question?
If you want to make an enquiry about a TSH service or program, please get in touch with our friendly team today. We also welcome enquiries from potential TSH partners.