"Blindness separates people from things. Deafness separates people from people." -Helen Keller

What is an Audiologist?

An audiologist is a professional who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of hearing and hearing disorders. The audiologists at Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) have extensive training and skills to evaluate the hearing of infants and children of all ages. By conducting a wide variety of specialized testing they are able to determine the exact nature of even the tiniest baby¹s hearing problem. Audiologists present a variety of treatment options to families, as well as dispense and fit hearing aids, administer special tests of auditory processing and provide hearing rehabilitation training.

Audiologists at ACH hold masters or doctoral degrees from accredited universities with special training in the prevention, identification, assessment and non-medical treatment of hearing disorders. By virtue of their graduate education, professional certification and licensure, audiologists are the most qualified professionals to perform hearing tests, refer patients for medical treatment and provide hearing rehabilitation services.

The mission of the ACH program is to provide comprehensive diagnostic and intervention for children from birth to 21. The focus is on early identification, aggressive intervention and family involvement.

Infant Hearing Screening and Diagnosis Program

We want to get the message out that it is "never too early" to determine how a baby hears. If undetected and untreated, hearing loss can lead to delayed speech and language development, social and emotional problems, and academic failure. By detecting hearing loss during the newborn period, families can be informed of their child's hearing status and effective treatment can be immediately initiated. Our program at ACH has been recognized as a national leader in the area of early detection of hearing loss, setting the standard for early diagnosis of infants in the state. We utilize the most advanced available computerized technology to develop an individualized amplification plan, including digital hearing aids, assistive listening devices and cochlear implants. Timing is everything--any child¹s hearing can be evaluated with a high degree of accuracy.

This patient hears for the first time with cochlear implant.

Cochlear Implant Program

Advances in technology allow many with the most profound deafness to access sound through a cochlear implant. A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides direct stimulation to the auditory nerve, bypassing the damaged or absent hair cells in the inner ear. ACH boasts the only comprehensive, multi-disciplinary cochlear implant team in the state. All of the current FDA approved cochlear implants are available through our program. The process involves comprehensive, multi-specialty evaluation, pre- and post-implant therapy and opportunities to interact with other cochlear implant recipients. ACH is the leader in pediatric cochlear implants in the region.

Listening Program

Learning to listen is the first step in successful intervention. Another innovative practice is our listening-based speech and language therapy program. This program was designed to teach children who are deaf or hard of hearing to optimally use today¹s advanced technology, such as digital hearing aids and cochlear implants. This program is intended to strengthen the listening skills of all children with hearing loss, both oral and sign-language communicators. ACH also offers a specialized type of therapy called Auditory-Verbal therapy, which teaches children with severe to profound hearing loss to communicate orally. We are proud to have two speech-language pathologists certified in Auditory-Verbal therapy, who are two of only 300 worldwide.

Auditory Processing Program

Language, learning, lliteracy and listening are intricately tied together. School-aged children with normal hearing, who are experiencing difficulties in an academic setting relative to listening, understanding, following instructions, etc., may be candidates for evaluation of their auditory processing abilities. In layman's terms, auditory processing can be defined as "what we do with what we hear." This program at ACH provides a comprehensive test battery for children exhibiting characteristics of auditory processing disorders (APD), beginning at age 7. Recommendations and guidelines for schools and families are individualized and, referrals for further academic assessment are made, as needed. Contact us Children may be referred to the ACH Audiology Department by physicians, speech pathologists, teachers, families, guardians, etc. for concerns about hearing, hearing loss, listening and language. To schedule an appointment or to speak with an audiologist, please contact us at 501-364-4319(V)/ 501-364-3911(TDD). Children and adult patients interested in the cochlear implant process may also use our email at cochlearimplant@archildrens.org.

Contact Info/Referrals
Audiology: 501-364-4319