Please be aware that our Adult & Paediatric Hearing and Hearing Aid Services have now moved from the Leeds General Infirmary to the Seacroft Hospital.
Our new address is:
Hearing and Balance Service
Block 13 Seacroft Hospital
Seacroft
Leeds
LS14 6UH
COVID-19 update for parents/carers of children with Hearing Aids and Hearing Loss
The Hearing and Balance Centre is now able to offer limited services and appointments. We are also able to offer telephone appointments and provide some postal services, so please do contact us on [email protected] if you feel it is urgent.
Please ensure we have up-to-date contact information for you as a parent or guardian to enable us to contact you if required for a telephone consultation or in regards to your child’s appointment. Please contact us by telephone on 0113 3922484 or email us your change of information at [email protected]. If you have updated your information at your General Practitioners, this does not automatically get updated at the hospital.
We are working on ways to inform you of important changes to the Audiology services. One of these ways is via a Hearing and Balance Centre service Bulletin through email. If you would like to receive this information, please advise us of your email address. Your details will not be passed on to any other service outside of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
We aim to keep our website up-to-date with changes to the service and any relevant information to our Audiology patients.
We hope that the information below will answer some of the concerns you may have.
Q: What if my child requires batteries for their hearing aid/s?
A: Please email the department on the address above or call on 0113 3922484 and we will post them to you. Please tell us what type of battery your child require’s (Brown, Orange, Blue) and do not ask for any more than they will need.
Q: What if my child requires replacement tubing for their hearing aid/s?
A: Please email the department on the address above or contact us on 0113 3922484 and we will be happy to post some to you.
Q: What if my child loses or damages their earmould/s?
A: Please email or call the department, we may in some cases be able to order a replacement as some of our moulds have been electronically stored. If not, see below:
Q: What if my child needs a new ear mould impression taking?
A: Please email or call the department, an Audiologist will discuss with you if it is appropriate and safe for you to come in to have an impression taken of the the ear. Due to the current situation, we will only consider doing so for very significant hearing losses at present.
Q: My child has lost their hearing aid/s
A: Please email or call the department and someone will discuss with you the best way of obtaining a replacement aid/s.
Q: My child’s hearing aid/s is/are faulty or not working, what do we do?
A: If your child’s hearing aid/s is/are not working properly, try replacing the battery first. if this does not rectify the problem, check to see if the tubing is blocked (wax/debris) and if it can be removed safely. You could try to look at the troubleshooting video at C2hear online to see if you can resolve the problem yourself.
If this still does not work, please contact us by email or phone.
Q: How do I make sure my child’s hearing aid/s are clean?
A: You can use unscented/antibacterial wipes to clean your child’s ear mould/s. You can also wash the ear mould in warm soapy water and leave to dry overnight. Please ensure there is no water left in the tubing as this may prevent the sound getting through. A gentle shake and dislodge the water from the tubing easily. The tubing can be cleaned using a pin or paperclip; you can also use a small brush such as a dental brush to clean the tubing. If you are not sure how to do this, please ask the audiologist at your next appointment to show you.
You may also find the following useful:
- How to clean earmoulds
- The National Deaf Children’s Society website has lots of invaluable information about hearing loss and hearing aids, and you can find some useful videos such as how to re-tube your child’s ear mould etc.
- The C2Hear website also has useful information about hearing aids which is suitable for older children and parents on re-tubing and fitting hearing aids, how to troubleshoot and other useful videos and journals.
Q: My child feels that their hearing has deteriorated or improved, what can I/we do?
A: Please email or call the department, an audiologist would be happy to discuss the options available with you and discuss the best course of action.
Specific information related to Covid-19
Leeds General Infirmary: Paediatric Audiology
Based at the Leeds General Infirmary, Brotherton Wing, the Paediatric Audiology team are based in the Hearing and Balance Centre and is made up of a well-established clinical team including Clinical Scientists and Specialist Audiologists. The Hearing and Balance Centre provides hearing assessments for children of all ages and can offer hearing aids where required.
Our dedicated Paediatric Audiology team are trained to provide expert hearing assessments for children. Where a hearing problem is identified, we will be able to help you decide on the best course of action; such as a referral to the Ear, Nose and Throat team or for a fitting of a hearing aid/s.
The Paediatric Audiology Team
There are a number of staff members that make up our paediatric team that you may meet on your visit:
Andrea Darby
Head of Audiology Services
Chris Monaghan-Doyle
Principal Clinical Scientist (Audiology)
Louise Kirsch Audiology
Team Leader
Aaron Sykes Audiology
Team Leader
Jennifer Pyne
Specialist Audiologist
Smia Hussain
Specialist Audiologist
Paul McElvey
Specialist Audiologist
Areeba Wasti
Specialist Audiologist