Audiology and Speech Language Pathology
Audiologists are concerned with the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment and (re)habilitation of auditory and balance difficulties in children and adults. Audiologists also provide education and counseling services for people experiencing problems in these areas.
Mount Sinai Hospital’s Otologic Function Unit provides evidence-based assessment and treatment services for adult and pediatric patients with hearing and balance disorders.
An audiologist’s scope of clinical practice includes the provision of assessment, treatment, (re)habilitation and consultation services for:
- Auditory Function
- Vestibular Function
- Tinnitus
- Auditory Processing disorders
- Cerumen Management
- Prescription and dispensing of hearing aids, as well as assistive listening and alerting devices
All audiologists in this province are required to be members of the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario. As regulated health professionals, audiologists are required by law to deliver competent, ethical services and are accountable to CASLPO regarding conduct.
All Canadian audiology training programs are at the Masters level and require a 4 year undergraduate degree for admission.
Audiology Education
Mount Sinai Hospital welcomes students from the University of Toronto’s Speech Language Pathology program, Western University’s Audiology program and other affiliated universities for required fieldwork placements.
The Otologic Function Unit at Mount Sinai Hospital offers students the opportunity to learn how to care for and provide services to patients suffering from auditory and vestibular problems. Students help Mount Sinai’s bright minds and big hearts conduct assessments and deliver the best management of these disorders.
Audiology students have the opportunity to:
- provide a range of assessment, habilitative and rehabilitative services to patients;
- assess hearing abilities and evaluate the effect of hearing problems on communication;
- help prescribe assistive listening devices, training and counselling to individuals and families coping with hearing problems;
- work with an interdisciplinary team of health-care providers, as well as family members and industry professionals.
The Ontario Infant Hearing Program
Mount Sinai Hospital is also a training site for audiologists who want to work with the Ontario Infant Hearing Program (IHP).
The IHP is a province-wide program of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. The Program aims to identify all infants with permanent hearing impairment, and give parents the information they need to make timely, informed decisions. By maximizing family communication and language development, the program reduces the delay in learning language and helps the development of reading skills
