What Deaf and Hearing Impaired means
A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing is said to be hearing impaired. Deafness can temporary, permanent or both and can be:
- mild
- moderate
- severe
- profound
Deafness can be in one ear (unilateral) or in both ears (bilateral). Deafness is not a learning difficulty. However, around 40% of deaf children have additional needs as well as their deafness.
Deaf children and young people may communicate orally and/or using sign language.
Most deaf children and young people have the potential for better levels of spoken language development, and expectations for them should be as high as those for other children with similar ability.
Hearing technologies and support can remove barriers and enable deaf children and young people to access learning at the same level as hearing peers of a similar ability.
If you have any concerns about your child’s hearing, please contact your health visitor, school nurse or GP first.
Support from professionals
Health will refer your child to the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Sensory Service after they have made a diagnosis. Your child’s hearing loss may be referred to as deafness or a hearing impairment – this is based on your child’s preference.
Qualified Teachers of the Deaf use Success from the start.
Babies identified via the ‘Newborn Hearing Screening Programme’ (NHSP) will be contacted within 48 hours and offered a visit.
Referrals received outside of NHSP are seen within 2 weeks of the initial referral.