Hearing Matters
Hearing is important to deaf children because most have residual hearing that can be amplified for listening to speech, music and many other sounds.
Ireland has about about 800,000 people with some degree of hearing issues. This includes 5,000 Deaf native signers – and the senior population overall.
Top Question: Is my child deaf? Possible indicators to watch for.
Sound consists of vibrations of air in the form of waves and is measured in decibels (dB). Normal hearing is considered to be in the range of 0 to 20 dB.
Hearing aids and cochlear implants are the best ways for deaf children to use their residual hearing and share sound with their families and friends.
Full hearing isn’t restored, but the sounds that get through can be a big help to your child in social situations, for fun, and for safety when out and about.
In Ireland, deaf children are entitled to hearing assistance from the state. Details are in the services map area of this website.
Free hearing tests are available to eligible people in Ireland through the HSE and can be arranged via a family GP, or by contacting a health centre.
Newborn hearing screening launched in Cork on April 26th 2011, and is fully explained in a booklet, ‘Your Baby’s Hearing Screening Test‘ (pdf file).
No charge is levied for a hearing test at a public health centre, public hospital or local health office, which can test a baby’s or child’s hearing.
During a hearing test on a baby or very young child, specialist sonar equipment is used to measure the hearing as accurately as possible.
Top Question: Is my baby deaf? Possible indicators to watch for.
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