Admission Criteria

Children are assessed at the Nuffield Hearing & Speech Centre by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a consultant in audiological medicine, the principal speech and language therapist and the head teacher of the Unit, with the involvement of the centre's psychologist, paediatrician and audiological services when required. Detailed reports are also sought from professionals involved witht the children locally.

Places are offered to children who have severe, specific speech and or language difficulties, who are judged to be able to benefit from the level of service provided by the Unit, and who live within a reasonable travelling distance. Placement is dependent on funding being agreed by local authorities. The range of diagnoses include:

• Severe expressive language disorder

• Severe receptive language disorder

• Developmental verbal dyspraxia

• Oral dyspraxia

• Dysarthria

These frequently occur in combination, and may be complicated by more general motor difficulties, mild learning difficulties, hearing impairment, or behavioural difficulties. Some children have a specific medical condition, such as velocardiofacial syndrome, Worster Drought syndrome or Pierre Robin syndrom.

Typically children are admitted at 4-5 years, with little or no expressive language or speech, some with severe oro-motor difficulties affecting lips, tongue, palate and voice production. Many have significantly delayed verbal comprehension, and some have little or no understanding of spoken language.

(Reproduced with kind permission of the Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre, Copyright NHSC)