Early Diagnosis: Working with Families of Deaf Children
Presented in January 2006
Juan Mora
1. Role in relation to families of children recently diagnosed as deaf:
Medical staff of UNHS team
Organisation/implementation of UNHS
Involved with the hearing impaired child and family from an early time
Medical contribution: History, Examination, Follow-up + provide information
available, aetiological investigations, referrals, liaising role.
2. Ensuring parents are provided with informed choice regarding language
and communication:
Through the work of our “Early Intervention Team”: unbiased
information, according to family needs/circumstances and family requests,
without pressurising the family but ensuring that all relevant information
is eventually delivered.
3. Challenges:
- Modernisation of Department
- To ensure a high quality medical intervention
- To ensure appropriate rehabilitation
- High quality of diagnostic work (UNHS)
- High quality of amplification
- Audiological assessment of children with severe/profound neurodevelopmental delays.
4. Desired positive changes:
- Successful implementation and running of UNHS
- Widespread improvement of quality of work across Paediatric Audiology Departments
- Smooth/Satisfactory transition from Paediatric to adult Audiology Services.