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Pediatric Audiology Program

The Oklahoma State Department of Health Pediatric Audiology Program provides comprehensive diagnostic services for children from birth through 18 years of age in 10 Oklahoma county health departments and two Sooner Start offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 

To receive our services, no referral is needed and all insurance accepted. There is no out-of-pocket expense to families for the diagnostic assessments. Families don't have to reside in the county where the audiology clinic is located.

About childhood hearing loss

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • Each year, 12,000 infants are born deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Up to 95% of babies with hearing loss are born to two parents witrh normal hearing. 
  • Hearing loss also can occur at any time in a child's life. 
  • By 6 years of age, about 6 in every 1,000 children have significant hearing problems that may go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

In addition to not passing a newborn hearing screening, here are other signs of possible hearing loss in your child:

  • Has a risk factor for hearing loss
  • Has a history of ear infections
  • Does not startle at loud noises
  • Does not turn to the source of a sound after 6 months of age
  • Seems to hear some sounds but not others
  • Does not say single words, such as "dada" or "mama" by 1 year of age
  • Speech and language is delayed
  • Does not follow directions
  • Often says, "Huh?" and turns up TV loud

Any hearing loss can affect your child's ability to develop speech, language and social skills. 

Your child should see a pediatric audiologist for testing if they have not passed a hearing screening or if you have concerns. A pediatric audiologist is a health care professional with a master's or doctoral degree in audiology, a license to practice audiology in the state of Oklahoma, and the technical expertise to test infants and children. A pediatric audiologist will choose appropriate tests based on your child's developmental age. 

Oklahoma State Department of Health pediatric audiology testing services include:

  • Visual Reinforcement Audiometry
  • Conditioned Play Audiometry
  • Conventional Audiometry
  • Immittance Audiometry
  • Infant Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)
  • Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
  • Central Auditory Processing Assessments
  • Hearing Aid Consultations and Recommendations

Oklahoma State Department of Health pediatric audiology facilities are located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Moore, Lawton, Clinton, Enid, Muskogee, Bartlesville, Stillwater, McAlester, Ada and Claremore. To make an appointment, contact one of these county health departments to schedule a hearing test for your child.

Resources

Contact Information

Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Suite 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406

Physical Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK

Phone: (405) 426-8880
Email: PediatricAudiology@health.ok.gov

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