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Pediatric Audiology

Audiology

At OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, our children’s audiologists work closely with the OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute (OSF INI) team to offer a full spectrum of audiology services – from basic diagnostics to advanced hearing evaluations and treatments. The pediatric audiology team provides compassionate, family-centered care for your child. So your child can learn, play and communicate with confidence.

What is pediatric audiology?

Pediatric audiology focuses on understanding how well your child hears and how their hearing affects speech, language and development. Children’s audiologists specialize in caring for babies, toddlers and older children with hearing concerns.

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What to Expect at Your Appointment

When you visit the pediatric audiology team at OSF Children’s Hospital, you can expect a welcoming environment designed for children and families. Our audiology specialists will explain every step of the process in simple terms and make sure your child feels comfortable.

Pediatric Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose & Throat) Coordinated Care

During your child’s appointment, our team will perform age-appropriate hearing evaluations to check how your child’s ears and auditory system are working. We collaborate with pediatric otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) specialists and other pediatric programs to provide complete, coordinated care.

If deeper testing or advanced services are needed, your child may be referred to the OSF INI audiology team for additional diagnostic studies or treatment options such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Head to OSF INI Audiology
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Meet Your Care Team

Your child’s care team includes children’s audiologists, fellowship-trained doctors and other audiology specialists and support staff who are experts and understand the unique hearing needs of children.

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Hearing Conditions We Treat

Our pediatric audiology program cares for children with a range of hearing and ear-related conditions, including:

  • Balance-related hearing issues
  • Conductive, sensorineural (nerve) and mixed hearing loss
  • Follow-up evaluations after ear tube placement or pediatric otolaryngology (ENT) procedures
  • Inner ear or auditory nerve disorders
  • Middle ear problems such as fluid buildup or eardrum mobility issues
  • Speech or language delays related to hearing loss

Audiology Services We Provide

Our children’s audiology team provides a wide range of diagnostic audiology services tailored to your child’s age and needs.

Services include:

  • Multidisciplinary approach with pediatric otolaryngologists (ENT) and other pediatric providers for further diagnosis and treatment
  • Comprehensive diagnostic testing for infants, children and teens which may include sleep deprived or sedated auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing and auditory steady state response (ASSR) testing
  • Follow-up care for infants who fail newborn hearing screens
  • Hearing assessments for children with complex or chronic medical conditions which may impact their hearing
  • Cochlear implant programming
  • Hearing aid fitting and dispensing
  • Testing for auditory processing disorders
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Collaboration with Pediatric Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat or ENT)

Our pediatric audiology team works closely with the pediatric otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat or ENT) specialists at OSF Children’s Hospital. Together, we provide comprehensive care for children with hearing and ear conditions, from diagnostic testing to surgical treatments when needed. This collaboration ensures your child receives coordinated, continuous care early on from trusted experts.

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Luke’s Story

Since getting implants, Luke has had a lot less frustration in all settings in his life. OSF always makes us feel like we know our child best, and they support us through every decision. I really feel like we were equal members to Luke's team, and we felt comfortable enough to ask them anything. I would tell a parent who just started their audiology journey to not be afraid. Always go with your gut feeling, seek out early intervention, explore technology, build a strong support system and lean on your team!

Ruby’s Story

The OSF care team was vital in our total communication approach with Ruby. They truly want the best for our daughter. Whenever we've had questions or issues with Ruby's devices, the team has been easy to connect with and willing to do whatever they can to help. She is able to interact with the world in a whole new way with her implants. She dances to music, turns to her name and responds to animal noises. I'm so grateful that we have such a skilled and personal team so close to home.

Ask for a Referral

Need audiology services for your child’s hearing impairment? Contact your primary care provider about a referral to pediatric audiology. Need a primary care provider? Browse our directory.

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