The Audiology Program through South Coast Education Service District (SCESD) provides evaluations for children and students who live within Reedsport School District Boundaries, Coos County, and Curry County. The program supports children and students who range in age from birth through 21 years.

Who is Eligible for Audiological Services?

Students and children birth to 21 years who live within Reedsport School District Boundaries, Coos County, and Curry County are eligible to receive services.

How are Children Referred for Audiological Services?

If parents, or any other referring party, have a concern about a child or student’s hearing, they may contact the program or school’s speech-language pathologist (SLP) or special education department. A child may then be referred to the SCESD audiologist for audiological services. Audiological testing is provided at the SCESD offices in Coos Bay and Gold Beach.

Audiological Testing May Include The Following:

• Otoscopy (looking in the ears)
• Acoustic admittance testing (includes tympanometry (evaluates the eardrum and middle ear) as well as acoustic reflexes)
• Standard air and bone conduction audiometry (behavioral testing to establish hearing thresholds)
• Conditioned play audiometry or visual reinforcement audiometry (behavioral testing to establish hearing levels for younger children using games or toy animals that light up)
• Speech audiometry (determines speech reception thresholds and word recognition/discrimination)
• Otoacoustic emissions (objective assessment of the inner ear)
• Auditory Brainstem Evoked Response (ABR) without sedation (objective assessment of the auditory pathway)

Other Audiological Services Available:

• Consultation with parents, Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH), and school staff regarding hearing loss, educational and audiological needs of the child
• Hearing assistance technology devices including Personal audio distribution systems and classroom audio distribution systems
• Loaner hearing aids and hearing aid repairs
• Ear molds

Referral for evaluation does not imply automatic eligibility. Each child’s audiological and developmental or academic needs will be evaluated by an IFSP/IEP team to determine the need for special education services from an SCESD Teacher of the D/HH and Audiologist.

Cost

There is no fee for the hearing evaluation or consultation. Parents may be responsible for the cost of hearing aids, ear molds, and hearing aid repairs. Alternative funding is sometimes available.