G/12.a HAMILTON LODGE SCHOOL & COLLEGE. Audiology Policy. June 2015 To be reviewed: June 2017 (Gov)

Transcription

1 G/12.a HAMILTON LODGE SCHOOL & COLLEGE Audiology Policy June 2015 To be reviewed: June 2017 (Gov) 1

2 Introduction Hamilton Lodge School and College (HLSC) provides audiology services to all pupils and students. The service is delivered by a qualified Educational Audiologist contracted from the Brighton and Hove City Council Sensory Needs Service. All staff at the School and Collegehave a role in implementing this policy. About Audiology for deaf children In the UK babies are screened for hearing impairment at birth. Each year 840 babies are found to have significant deafness. (Department of Children, Families and Schools, 2010) Those children are referred to Audiology services for assessment and issue of hearing aids. Some, who do not benefit from hearing aids, are assessed to see if cochlear implantation would be appropriate. Currently, annually, around 350 are fitted with cochlear implants together with a further 100 who have acquired hearing loss. (Source Ear Foundation) For all children there will be local multidisciplinary teams who work to optimise the child s language and communication skills, in line with parental wishes and the child needs. Regular assessment and monitoring of audiological needs is an essential component in the overall provision for deaf children. Given the ever changing needs of pupils in an educational setting it is important that audiological assessment is an integral part of the educational provision. At HLSC, as part of our policy of Child-Centred Communication, we strive to ensure that the audiological needs of our pupils are met promptly and appropriately. We recognise that the benefits of amplification vary from pupil to pupil. This being the case, we regularly review the audiological, speech and language and communication support provided for each pupil. In order to do this we operate a multi-disciplinary approach to meeting pupils needs, working alongside the internal and external agencies involved with individual pupils. The distribution, as at March 2015 of hearing aid users, cochlear implant users and unaided in the school is shown in the following chart. The proportion of cochlear implant users rises annually. Audiological provision for pupils at HLSC is delivered on an individual basis. Each child s needs are different and audiology is provided in a variety of ways. 2

3 General Aims of the audiological services we provide at the school are: 1) To work with local audiology services throughout the country to ensure that pupils are provided with appropriate amplification. 2) To work with school staff, parents and other agencies to ensure that amplification is used consistently. 3) To perform audiological assessments as appropriate, including otoscopy, audiometry and tympanometry, and to act on the findings of these assessments. 4) To involve all staff/pupils in the routine checking and care of hearing aids and cochlear implants. 5) To send broken aids and speech processors for repair as soon as possible and whenever appropriate organise a school loan hearing aid until the repaired aid is received. 6) To monitor earmould condition closely and ensure a quick turnaround when impressions for replacements are taken. 7) At appropriate intervals to assess each pupils auditory discrimination and report this in an agreed manner to inform teachers planning and practice in the classroom. 8) To raise pupil awareness of a) the importance of audiological assessment and monitoring, b) the benefits of amplification for detecting and identifying sounds in the environment around them and for their speech and language perception and production. c) FM systems, Direct Audio Input and other devices that can increase their benefit from amplification. 9) To keep abreast of audiological developments and research and implement these in the school when they will be of benefit to the pupils or staff. 10) To continually review and improve the audiological provision in the school. How these aims are realised Provision of Amplification While a pupil is at HLSC it remains the responsibility of their local health trust to provide appropriate hearing aids or cochlear implant (C.I.). Particularly in the case of C.I. s, this may be contracted out to a third party. The audiology department within the school will work closely with the provider to monitor the function and benefit of the equipment. Consistent use of amplification It is known that maximal benefit from amplification will only be achieved if it is used consistently and if pupils are given opportunities and support to develop their auditory experience. The staff adopt a positive attitude to the appropriate prescription of hearing aids and cochlear implants to pupils. Good role models exist throughout the school and college. Teaching staff monitor the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants on a weekly basis. An up-to-date list of amplification users is provided and any regular deviations from this will be reported to the child s tutor and the Educational Audiologist as soon as possible. Audiological reports for the annual review contain comments on the consistency of amplification use. 3

4 The use of hearing aids and amplification will be discussed at least annually, usually at the review of the statement of educational need. This is the appropriate time to discuss any change in expectations for hearing aid usage. It is unsatisfactory for change of use to be allowed as a result of slippage or pupil whim without discussion of the implications with the pupil and the adults who care for them. Audiological Assessments The school maintains an audiometer, test box and tympanometer for audiological assessments on-site. Other equipment for testing belonging to Brighton & Hove City Council, is available for use at any time. Audiometry and tympanometry are carried out at least annually and these may be done at the school or in a clinic near the child s home. Assessment of the pupil s aided benefit and auditory discrimination takes place in school as appropriate. The results will be included in the audiological report for the child s annual review and are also made available to all staff in the audiology folder on the intranet. Hearing aids are tested electro-accoustically after any reprogramming, when aids are presented for repair or replaced by local services. A record is maintained in the pupil s audiology file. Routine checking and care of audiological equipment A system of weekly checks by staff responsible for each teaching group has been developed and forms the basis for monitoring hearing aid use and condition in the school. With the younger pupils daily checks are preferable. Weekly check sheets for pupils in KS3 and year 10 are prepared and distributed by the Educational Audiologist. These are completed by the class teacher or appropriate delegated person. Pupils in year 11 and students in FE have personalised sheet that they complete, supported by class teachers in year 11 and by the Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) for FE students. They should be returned to the Educational Audiologist by the time agreed, usually by end of school on Monday each week. The weekly hearing aid check involves assessing mould and tubing condition, conducting a listening check and recording whether the pupil is wearing the aid. The details for cochlear implant wearers are personalised on their needs and the type of speech processor being used. (Examples of these sheets are in appendix 1 & 2.) Each teaching room and care area has been provided with a box of equipment and materials to facilitate the day-to-day care of hearing aids. Training has been provided for existing staff and is available as part of induction for new staff. The educational audiologist and the SALT work together to ensure any required repairs or replacements happen as quickly as possible. Hearing aids for repair If a hearing aid is in need of repair it is returned to the service providing it as soon as possible. All devices will be sent by recorded delivery and the school office will 4

5 maintain a record of dispatch. Parents will be informed by phone, post or as appropriate. Details will also be entered in the pupil s audiology file. If possible a school aid will be loaned to the pupil so that consistent use can be maintained. Speech processors for repair If a speech processor or component is in need of repair or replacement the appropriate centre or manufacturer care service will be contacted as soon as possible. The nonworking device is stored in school until the replacement arrives and is then returned according to the centre or manufacturer s instructions. Parents will be advised as appropriate. Earmoulds Earmould condition is monitored regularly by staff and by the Educational Audiologist. Whenever necessary, impressions for new moulds can be made by the Educational Audiologist. This should happen within a week of the need becoming apparent. Impressions are sent to a paediatric ear mould service and are normally available for the pupil within 14 working days. The service to be used is specified by the RSCH who must be informed, by , of any orders made on the day they are dispatched. The Educational Audiologist maintains a record of when new moulds were fitted. The Educational Audiologist may investigate, from time to time, alternative mould types to improve user comfort or acoustic performance. The mould type currently being used will be reported on the audiological contribution to the annual review. Pupil Awareness The purpose and outcomes of all assessments should be explained to the pupils. Through this they will come to understand the need to continue with their audiological care after they leave the school. Many local services have transition procedures and the school will co-operate with these. The SALT and staff will work to make pupils aware of the benefits of amplification for maintaining environmental sound and their speech and language discrimination and production. During assessments and at other times the Educational Audiologist will raise pupil s awareness of additional equipment that they can use in conjunction with their hearing aids. Outcomes for Audiology For pupils and students who have hearing aids or speech processors, these should be in good working order. Faults should be found quickly and rectified. Whenever appropriate, pupils and students should have the opportunity to use their devices in conjunction with other technologies. The potential to benefit from hearing aids or speech processors should be realised. The auditory skills of pupils and students will be assessed. The results will be interpreted and explained. The information will be made available to teachers to inform their planning and teaching. (see example in appendix 3.) 5

6 All pupils and students should understand the nature of their deafness. This information should be available to teachers and care staff. Periodically the situation for each pupil is reviewed by the educational audiologist. This might lead to individualised pieces of work or more general targets for the IEP. Further work The educational audiologist will contribute to staff training so that skill levels are maintained and teachers are aware of developments in technology and practice. The Leadership team, in conjunction with the Educational Audiologist, will identify whole school training needs and facilitate these. It is hope to work collaboratively with staff from the audiology service at the Royal Sussex County Hospital on appropriate small scale research projects. The educational audiologist also supports teaching staff who are studying for the mandatory qualification. Appendices: 1) Sample class weekly check 2) Sample individual check sheet 3) Sample of auditory discrimination record for teachers 6

7 APPENDIX 1 MONDAY AMPLIFICATION CHECK (TO BE RETURNED TO CHRIS BROWNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE) Class: 7X Staff: A Teacher Date: Name Left Aid Right Aid Pupil 1 Mould condition Tubing condition Listening check Wearing aid Mould condition Tubing condition Listening check Wearing aid Pupil 2 Pupil 3 Pupil 4 Wand check Pupil 5 Wand check Wand check (Please tick if satisfactory, and place a cross if unsatisfactory Notes from audiology / comments from staff. Continue overleaf if necessary. 7

8 APPENDIX 2 PERSONAL HEARING AID CHECK FE Student 1 Date My mould is clean and in good condition. The tubing in the mould is clean and in good condition. I am happy that my hearing aid is in good working order. I am wearing my hearing aid. I have some spare batteries with me. Left Right Left Right Left Right Notes 8

9 APPENDIX 3 Student 2 33% Phonemes correct on AB word list for recorded voice. Student 2 is dependent upon lip-reading when listening to speech flow, but is able to discriminate between sounds in tests. 9