Questions You May Want to Ask Your Child’s Audiologist Name of Audiologist: Phone: Appointment Date: Next Appointment Date: Hearing Test Name: Name/Location of Hearing Test: An audiologist is a person who is trained to evaluate hearing. An audiologist can help find a hearing loss, describe hearing test results, and test to see if amplification (am-pli-fi-kay-shun) devices will help your child. An amplification device helps someone hear sounds better. For example, a hearing aid is an amplification device. An audiologist may also give suggestions about hearing aids and some audiologists may sell and fit hearing aids on children. Most audiologists can provide you with information about intervention strategies (therapies or services), such as auditory "hearing" training and communication options (different ways to communicate with children with hearing loss). The audiologist will work with your family and a team of professionals, such as a speech-language pathologist, ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor), early intervention specialist, and teacher of the deaf, to provide you and your child with the services you need. Please see our other tip cards for information about some of these professionals. An audiologist who has training and experience to test and give services to infants and young children will offer the best care for your baby. Questions about my/our child’s hearing loss: 1. How much hearing loss does my child have? Please explain the terms: sensorineural, conductive, mixed, mild, moderate, severe, profound, auditory neuropathy. 2. Is the loss permanent? Does my child need more testing? How often should my child’s hearing be tested? 3. Can you tell if my child’s hearing loss will get worse or change? 4. Do both ears have the same hearing loss? 5. How will the hearing loss affect my child’s speech and language development? 6. What could have caused my child’s hearing loss? 7. Would you suggest genetic counseling for our family? 8. May I have a copy of the hearing test results? (Attach and explain the audiogram or other information to this form.) Questions about hearing aids and cochlear implants (an electronic device placed under the skin behind the ear): 1. Does my child need a hearing aid? What are my choices? Should he or she have a hearing aid in both ears? 2. How much do hearing aids cost? Can I get help to pay for the hearing aids? 3. Can you help me contact a program that can lend me hearing aids? 4. What will my child hear with the hearing aids? 5. How often will my child need new hearing aids or parts? 6. What are the parts of a hearing aid that may need to be replaced? 7. What should I do if my child does not want to wear the hearing aid? 8. With my child’s hearing loss, should I consider a cochlear implant (an electronic device placed under the skin behind the ear)? Where can I go for more information? Questions about communication options and education: 1. Can you help me learn about the different types of communication options (for example: total communication, oral, sign language)? 2. When should I begin early intervention, school, speech and other therapy, or classes for my child? What is available in this area? Questions about communication options and education: 1. Is there a parent group in my area? Where? Who should I contact? 2. Can you help me meet another parent of a child with hearing loss that is similar to my child’s? 3. Can you tell me about other ways I can learn about hearing loss – books, videotapes, films, websites, and courses? 4. How do I describe the results of the hearing tests to family members? 5. What are some tips for working with my child at home?