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Audiology Services

Our clinic provides the following audiological services for infants through adults:

• Diagnostic hearing evaluations
• Hearing aid evaluation
• Dispensing a wide range of hearing aids
• Assistive devices
• Hearing conservation programs including hearing tests for individuals exposed to high-noise environments
• Hearing conservation products including ear plugs, musician's ear plugs, and ear muffs

Hearing Aids

A client interested in obtaining hearing aids from our clinics will meet with audiologist to select a product that meets their needs. We work with a number of manufacturers that offer hearing aids with a wide range of options and costs. All hearing aids purchased in our clinic may be returned within 45 days if the client is not completely satisfied, in accordance to Minnesota state law. Clients are provided with follow-up appointments at no cost for the first year after receiving the hearing aid.

Assistive Devices

In addition to our hearing aid services, we work with clients to determine if other assistive devices may be beneficial. These are devices for the telephone, alerting systems, and devices that amplify speakers in large groups or setting with excessive background noise.

Hearing Conservation Testing

Our clinic tests and monitors hearing levels in individuals who are exposed to chronic noise from occupational or recreational environments. We begin by assessing a clinical inventory of possible noise exposure from all sources, including sounds from machinery/factory environments, musical performance, hunting/gunshots, and others. We then conduct formal baseline hearing tests to assess current hearing thresholds. These tests include a basic audiogram across a full frequency range and screening tympantometry (middle-ear testing). Testing could also include more advanced diagnostics techniques such as transient and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. We review the hearing test results and use this information to recommend strategies for identifying risks and protecting ears from damaging noise exposure. The baseline test is kept on file to compare with periodic follow-up test and to verify the effectiveness of the recommended hearing conservation program.

We also dispense protective hearing conservation products, including stock or custom-fitted earplugs, earmuffs, and musician's earplugs.

Auditory Processing Disorder

Some people have more difficulty processing what they hear than others do. Presumably, people who experience this problem have normal hearing, but sounds are not being processed efficiently by the auditory structures higher up in the brain. Individuals who fit this description are assessed to determine if they have an "auditory processing disorder."

Clients are evaluated using a number of behavioral and physiological assessment procedures. Information from these assessments is used for both clinical and research purposes. In other words, clients will participate in assessments that are considered part of the clinic's standard of care (i.e., tests of hearing, auditory function, and speech-language and intellectual ability) and assessments that the clinic staff view as experimental (i.e., behavioral tests of auditory processing). Clients will only be billed for procedures that are standard of care. All other procedures will be conducted at no charge. The results of all testing will be clearly explained to the client/parent/guarding and appropriate referrals and recommendations will be made.

The complete assessment will involve four to five visits to the clinic that will each last one to two hours.

Aural Rehabilitative Group

Our clinic offers an aural rehabilitative group for adults with hearing loss who experience challenges with listening across different situations and environments. The group meets weekly for four weeks, with each session designed to provide new information about a specific topic. Every session includes interactive group activities to allow members to practice their skills in hearing and speaking effectively with different communication partners. Some of the themes of weekly sessions include:

• Knowledge about the nature and causes of hearing loss
• Understanding hearing aids
• Using other amplification and assistive devices
• Strategies for improving communication
• Introduction to speech-reading skills
• Organizations and publications of interest to persons with hearing loss

For more information about audiology services, please contact at 612-624-3322 or slhs@umn.edu.