Specialist support from NHS Forth Valley’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) services – working closely alongside Audiology colleagues – is helping children with hearing loss develop vital communication skills and confidence, ensuring they can fully participate in everyday life.
For Stirling dad Keiran Meiklejohn, this early, joined-up support has been life-changing for his family. Having grown up with largely unsupported hearing loss himself, he was determined his children would have a different experience.
Keiran and his wife Mya have three children – Finlay (9), Hollie (6) and Skye (2). Although both Finlay and Hollie passed their newborn hearing screening, later follow-up identified hearing loss. Hollie, who has mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears, has been supported from an early age, including ongoing input from Speech and Language Therapy.
SLT support has played a vital role in helping Hollie develop her communication skills, confidence and independence. Working closely with Audiology, education and family support, therapists provide tailored interventions that enable children to build strong foundations for speech, language and learning.
Reflecting on his own childhood, Keiran said: “Looking back, I realise there were huge gaps in what I experienced as a child. I was there, but I wasn’t really hearing or taking part. We didn’t want that for our children.”
He describes how his hearing difficulties were only fully recognised in his teenage years, affecting his ability to engage in conversations and everyday experiences.
“With hindsight, I’ve got memories of being places, of vaguely being present, but I can’t always recall what was being said or what was happening because I wasn’t following conversations. With Hollie, because we picked it up so early, it’s just always been part of her life.”
Now, thanks to early identification and consistent multidisciplinary support, Hollie is thriving socially and academically, and is confident in her communication, demonstrating the powerful impact of timely intervention.
Stephanie Doody-Orr, Audiology Service Manager, highlighted the importance of this joined-up approach, saying: “Hollie’s story highlights the importance of access to good hearing services, often an underappreciated and overlooked service. It’s amazing to see Hollie thrive, with hearing loss not acting as a barrier to her ambitions. Improvements to Audiology services and hearing screening also mean that we catch hearing loss as early as possible. With hearing aid fittings often happening as early as a few weeks old, and with hearing aid patients well into the 100s, it truly is a service for life.”
NHS Forth Valley’s SLT teams continue to work closely with families, schools and healthcare colleagues to ensure children receive the right support at the right time, helping them to communicate effectively and confidently in all aspects of life.
Keiran is now encouraging other parents to seek advice if they have concerns: “If it seems like your child isn’t responding to you, especially in certain environments, it’s worth getting it checked. It won’t always be hearing loss, but there’s no harm in asking.”
