Mayo children with hearing loss lack support 

An estimated 20 children in Mayo are struggling with significant hearing loss and are on lengthy HSE audiology waiting lists, which may have a long-term adverse impact.

That is the view of Brendan Lennon, the head of advocacy with Chime, the national charity for deafness and hearing loss, who has warned many children are receiving no support.

The number of people on the waiting list in Mayo in mid-2023 was 1,013 people, including 402 children.

The majority of those had to wait between six and 12 months, however, 51 adults and 73 children were left waiting over a year.

Mr Lennon has urged the Department of Health to implement a promised national hearing care plan. A total of 3,328, including 1,371 children, were left waiting for a referral in the CH02 region of Mayo, Roscommon and Galway.

“If you take our estimate, 5% of those kids do have a significant hearing loss, meaning there are 68 kids in Mayo, Roscommon and Galway who are going about their business in preschool, school and at home with their family and it is affecting their ability to learn and develop social relationships and skills,” Mr Lennon added.

Mr Lennon said 95% of children referred do not a hearing loss but they may be struggling with language or concentration.

“In most cases, there are other issues, but the hearing loss possibility needs to be excluded,” he added.

In Galway and Roscommon, 1,605 and 710 people respectively were on the list.

Mr Lennon said a total of €1.3 million was awarded to three people by the High Court in 2022 over a delayed hearing loss diagnosis, including two from Mayo. He said the HSE had made efforts a decade ago to address a shortfall in staffing and waiting lists for children.