Hearing Test in Primary School - Needs consent?

vicwatson

Hi,

Should I have to sign a consent form to let my child have her hearing tested in school?

I was told yesterday that they got their hearing tested by "a nurse" - we were never told anything about it.

E.T.

When Junior and Senior infants get their health checks the nurse usually sends on forms to be filled in by the parents, we send these home before the check-ups. I don't know what the story is with older children though. If parents don't return the form the nurse usually doesn't take those children, and their parents are sent an appointment to come to the local health centre instead.

vicwatson

Thanks, when would those forms be sent home? Start of the year or.....few days before or...? It's for snr infants. Tks

newbee22

The note from the nurse would usually be sent home at the beginning of the year and then the children would be tested later in the year.

vicwatson

The note from the nurse would usually be sent home at the beginning of the year and then the children would be tested later in the year.

With maybe a consent form for the eyesight test or.....? OH seems to think we got something but usually keep copy of that stuff but can't find anything and can't remember it being about hearing.

TIA

E.T.

We get them at totally random times, it depends how busy the nurse is that year, and when they get around to the school. We'd usually get the forms a few weeks before and send them home straight away. They test hearing and eyesight. It's a form to be filled in rather than a note.

vicwatson

Yeh, just cannot remember for the life of me getting or filling a form for hearing test.

E.T.

It wouldn't be specifically for the hearing test, I think it's a general set of questions - can't remember off the top of my head but there's a few pages there, it comes in an A4 brown envelope.

overmantle

As a parent, I would expect consent forms and in fairness, they are always sent out. Having said that, tests for hearing by a school nurse would not be in any way invasive and purely for screening purposes. If any further, more detailed investigation was required, then the parent would of course be contacted about any onward referral. If my child had a mild, undetected hearing loss, that may affect his/her sounds/phonics/language acquisition, then I would be very grateful to be informed. If there was no issue with hearing, I would be very happy to hear that also.

If on the other hand, my child was being examined for an undescended testicle, for example, without consent, that would be an entirely different matter......