The 5th Paediatric Hearing Aids: A Refresher Course

The 5th Paediatric Hearing Aids: A Refresher Course is organized by Anne Davies Audiology Courses and will be held from Apr 21 - 23, 2026 at The Park Royal, Warrington, England, United Kingdom.

Description:
This is an introductory course to Paediatric Habilitation. The course is for Audiologists who are beginning to work in paediatric hearing aid clinics, or who would like an update on current protocols. The speaker faculty are experienced clinical staff, and the course focuses on skills for effective clinical intervention.

The course covers all aspects of routine paediatric hearing aid clinics, including strategies for testing, hearing aid provision with limited threshold information, RECD, verification and outcome measures, wireless accessories, and multi-disciplinary teams.

The course will be of interest to professionals who work with audiologists and who wish to gain an insight into paediatric hearing aid clinics.

Course content:
Family Centred Care:
The principles of family centred care, how to implement these principles into giving a diagnosis of hearing loss to a family, and building a systemic whole person approach to assessment and treatment.

Difference between Adults and Children:
What makes them different and how does that apply to the child, family and ultimately their hearing aids?

Introduction to Prescription Formulae:
A brief history of how the NAL and DSL teams derive their formulae, and discussions around proprietary fitting rules.

Introduction to RECD / REAR Theory:
The prescriptive approach to paediatric hearing aid provision will be considered, including the selection of appropriate parameters in the prescriptive rule and fitting software, and the individualisation of the approach through the use of measures such as the Real Ear to Coupler Difference (RECD).

Real-World RECD:
Tips and troubleshooting RECD in the clinic.

Strategies for Testing:
How to get the most from a testing session to ensure the best possible hearing aid set-up.

Hearing Aid Provision with Limited Threshold Information:
This talk will consider the practical considerations when there may be limited or incomplete threshold information to prescribe the amplification. In particular this will cover the availability and uncertainty of Auditory Brainstem Response and Behavioural Audiometry thresholds, and guidance on how they should be employed and documented in the clinical record.

Remote Microphones and Wireless Accessories:
A brief introduction to which devices are out there and when to fit them.

Roger™ System:
An introduction to Phonak’s Roger™ technology and an overview of the connectivity options.

Evaluation of Hearing Aids using Speech Testing:
Introducing resources to use as validation tools for monitoring and assessment of functional outcomes of your paediatric hearing device fittings.

Outcome Measures / Questionnaires:
An introduction to the range of outcome measures used to assess hearing aid benefit in children with a particular focus on questionnaires. Including why and when we use these and how these might guide hearing aid management along with some case examples to work through and group activities.

Test-Box Verification of Roger™ and Remote Microphones:
Although Audiology services do not tend to carry out this procedure, Teachers of the Deaf and Educational Audiologists in your area may may well do so.  This is an introduction to the correct techniques to use for this verification.

Communicating with Parents, Children and Young People:
Communication skills scenarios and explanation particularly related to hearing aid fitting and reviews. This will include discussion on individual management plans. Group work using case studies and examples.

Introduction to Complex Cases:
The principles of Speech Mapping, atypical hearing dysfunctions, and guidance on red flagging cases needing referral.

Issues after Fitting:
Addressing the needs of children wearing and managing hearing devices following fitting, including maintenance and earpieces; understanding some of the issues for older children around compliance and helping them in dealing with this. Case studies and examples included for discussion.

Multi-Disciplinary Teams:
How best outcomes are shaped by Multidisciplinary teams in paediatric hearing care, the current practice and role of Education teams, and the importance of communication between hearing care professionals.

Transition Services:
Transitioning from the paediatric to the adult service can be a daunting proposition – how can we make this as smooth a process as possible for our patients.

Practical Workshops:
Hands-on workshops in small groups (20 mins each) with Oticon, GN Hearing, Phonak, WS Audiology, Natus and Soundbyte Solutions. The workshops will be:

• Paediatric Hearing Aids available from GN Hearing and Phonak.
• EduMic and Paediatric Hearing Aids available from Oticon.
• RECD practice and discussion with WS Audiology and Natus.
• The Parrotplus and Noisecube from Soundbyte Solutions.
• Phonak Roger™ system, devices available and troubleshooting.

Planning the Hearing Aid Fitting & Review:
Why we plan the session. Examples of case studies and planning for hearing aid fitting and reviews, and specific considerations for children.