Overview
Welcome to the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology are disciplines concerned with communication processes of all people across the lifespan.
Communication is the axis around which human behavior and development revolves. The Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (ASLP)
which was established in the year of 2017, deals with the normal and pathological communication sciences across the life span.
Communication sciences are a broad area covering aspects such as Hearing, Balance, Speech, Language and Scholastic performance.
The services offered go beyond the boundaries of pathologies and even assist individuals
in excelling in normal communication. The application of this discipline also extends to swallowing related challenges.
Services
While testing children’s hearing, it is important that an appropriate method is used based on the child’s age,
ability and interest, information provided by patients and referrers and one that will give the audiological
information that is required. Some tests require children to be alert, awake co-operative and happy to “play” with the
Audiologist (Behavioural tests).
Others require the child to be quiet and still or asleep (Objective tests).
The Pediatric Audiologists have considerable experience assessing the hearing of children.
Tests selected will be based upon observations of the child in the clinic and the information given by the parents.
OAE is an ear specific hearing assessment, using a small ear insert. The test can determine if the
cochlea is functioning properly. The test is very quick and gives the result immediately, although it can
be difficult to get a
response if the baby is unsettled at the time of the test or if there is any fluid in the ear.
This is an ear specific hearing assessment, using a small ear insert.
This test can determine if the cochlea and the nerve of hearing are functioning properly.
It can take a while to gather the test information. The child must be asleep during testing.
Ear specific hearing assessments using ear phones, patient responds using a response button.
Ear specific hearing assessment with headphones, child responds using elements of play.
The Newborn Hearing Screening Program (NHSP) aims to identify permanent childhood hearing impairment in newborn babies.
The Program automatically offers all parents, the opportunity to have their baby's hearing tested shortly after birth.
Early identification, via this program, gives babies a better ‘life chance' of
developing speech and language skills and of making the most of social and emotional interaction from an early age.
Evaluations are important to determine the type, severity, cause, and treatment plan for individuals with
communication disorders. The assessments include the collection of case history information (medical, educational,
psycho-social histories), administration of standardized
and non-standardized tests of communication behaviors, and examinations of the speech and hearing mechanisms.
Recommendations for therapy services and/or referrals to other professionals are made based on the diagnostic assessment.
Dept. of SLP serves people of all ages with speech, language or hearing disorders, differences, or delays, including:
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- Children with speech and language delays and disorders.
- Children or adults with stuttering(stammering) or cluttering.
- Children or adults with misarticulations.
- Children or adults with voice disorders.
- Children or adults with communication disorders due to cerebral palsy,
stroke, cancer, brain injury, chronic ear infections, congenital or acquired hearing loss.
Achievements
MGM Hospital Vashi understands the need of a department which specifically takes initiative in dealing with audio and speech disability.
An initiative to start a department itself is an achievement.
The department is in its budding stage and has already successfully handled range of cases and helped in effective treatments.
Technology & Infrastructure
We have the state of the art instruments for complete and accurate audiological evaluations.
OAE: The new OtoRead TM combines fast and comprehensive DPOAE and
TEOAE testing of newborn babies, children and adults in an easy to use, handheld device.
Whether your testing protocols call for transient evoked or distortion product otoacoustic
emissions testing, OtoRead
TM provides the optimal solution.
It can be used for
a simple screening or for a more detailed assessment in diagnostic mode, testing across a wide range of frequencies.
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- DPOAE &/or TEOAE.
- User programmable protocols.
- Modern cradle for storage, charging & data transfer.
Audiometer: Maico MA52
An audiometry exam tests how well your hearing functions. It tests both the intensity and the tone of sounds, balance issues, and other issues related to the function of the inner ear.
A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating hearing loss called an audiologist administers the test.
The unit of measure for sound intensity is the decibel (dB). A healthy human ear can hear quiet sounds such as whispers.
These are about 20 dB. A loud sound such as a jet engine is between 140 and 180 dB.
The tone of a sound is measured in cycles per second. The unit of measure for tone is Hertz (Hz).
Low bass tones measure around 50 Hz.
Humans can hear tones between 20-20,000 Hz. Human speech generally falls in the 500-3,000 Hz range.
FAQs:
Your baby will be offered a series of routine health checks in the first few weeks of life.
This will include a hearing screening test. One to two babies in every 1000 are born with a hearing loss in one or both ears. It is not easy to
identify that a young baby has a hearing loss. The hearing screening test will allow those babies who do have a hearing loss to be identified early.
Early identification is known to be important for the development of the child. It also means that support and information can be provided to parents at an early stage.
It is important to screen all babies,
even if no-one in your family has a hearing loss. Most babies born with a hearing loss are born into families with no history of hearing loss.
Your baby will be offered the hearing screening
test within the first few weeks of life. The hearing screening test is usually carried out by a hearing screener or nursery nurse before they leave hospital.
Babies who are screened in neonatal intensive care and special care baby units automatically have the AABR screening test as well as the AOAE test.
The AOAE screening test takes a few minutes, whereas the AABR screening test can take between 5 and 30 minutes.This is because babies born prematurely,
those requiring special or intensive care and those with some medical conditions can be at a higher risk of having a hearing loss.
The results will be given to you at the time of the screening test.
If you have any concerns or questions about your baby's results speak to your health visitor or the hearing screener.
If the screening test shows a clear response from both of your baby's ears this means that your
baby is unlikely to have a hearing loss.
Children can develop or acquire a hearing loss later on so it is important to check your child's hearing as they grow up. Even if your baby gets a
clear response from their hearing screening test,
you can use two checklists to help you assess the development of their hearing; ‘Reactions to sounds checklist’ and ‘Making sounds checklist’.
If you have any concerns about your child's hearing you can discuss them with your health visitor or family doctor.
Your child's hearing can be tested at any age.
If the screening test does not show a clear response from one or both ears, your baby will need a second hearing screening test.
A lot of babies need to have a second screening test and this doesn't necessarily mean that your baby has a hearing loss.
Some common reasons, other than hearing loss, for having a second hearing screening test are:
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- Your baby may have been unsettled at the time of screening.
- There may have been background noise when the screening test was carried out.
- Your baby may have fluid or a temporary blockage in their ear after the birth. This is very common and will pass with time.
Most babies are found to have no hearing loss after the second screening test but it is still important that your baby has the second screen. This is because babies who
have a hearing loss will usually react to some sounds. If your baby does have a hearing loss it is important to find out as soon as possible.
If the second screening test does not show a clear response from one or both of your baby’s ears you will be referred to your local audiology department.
They will carry out special tests to measure your baby’s hearing. Again, this often happens and does not necessarily mean your baby has a hearing loss.
There may be a number of other reasons why the second screen could not get a clear
response from one or both of your baby’s ears. Further tests by an audiologist will give you better information about your baby’s hearing.
Parents and families may have many questions when they find out their baby has a hearing loss. Each baby's hearing
loss will be different and your audiologist will be able to explain the sounds your baby can hear and which sounds it may be difficult for them to hear.
You may be told that your baby has a mild hearing loss. This means that your baby's hearing is slightly below the level considered normal.
Your baby has a good degree of useful hearing but may have difficulty hearing quieter sounds.
If you are told that your baby has a unilateral hearing loss, it means that your baby has a hearing loss in one ear.
Alternatively you may be told that your baby has a bilateral hearing loss, which means that your baby has a hearing loss in both ears.
