Audiology Services

The Audiology department provides primarily outpatient services in addition to newborn hearing screening for all babies born in our facility or those transferred to the NICU shortly after birth (Hammond only). Saint Margaret Mercy's audiologists have a high level of experience with all age populations.

For adults

Digital hearing aids, FM systems and assistive listening devices--All levels of digital hearing aids from the leading hearing aid manufacturers; programming, follow-up and repairs. 45-day trial period.
Hearing protection devices--Custom-fit Musicians' Earplugs for musicians, or anyone who works in noisy conditions and requires clarity of speech.
Custom earmolds--Cell phone adaptors, swim molds, sound attenuators.

For infants and children

Level 1 (highest level) Diagnostic Testing Facility for Pediatrics
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), sedated and non-sedated
- Comprehensive Hearing Assessments for infants and children
- Tympanometry
- Otoacoustic Emissions
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening--Performed on every newborn prior to discharge. Results are reported to pediatricians and ISDH. Those who do not pass or are at high risk for delayed onset hearing loss are reported to Indiana First Steps.
Custom Swim Molds--Recommended in summer for children prone to ear infections or who have PE tubes.
Digital Hearing aids and follow-up--All levels of digital hearing aids from the leading manufacturers. Incluces programming and repairs.
FM systems--Recommended for children who wear hearing aids. These devices help school-age children to hear in classroom settings by improving the signal-to-noise ratio and enhancing the teacher's voice, no matter where the teacher is in the room.
Assistive Listening Devices--For children who wear hearing aids. These devices include amplified telephones, alarm clocks, smoke alarms, etc.
Custom Musicians' Earplugs--Recommended for older children who play musical instruments that may be at ear level, or play in a band or orchestra. These custom-filtered earplugs protect theuser from dangerous sound levels while maintaining integrity and sound quality of the music. Endorsed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Affiliations and Certifications

Indiana State Department of Health licensed
American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) certified
Indiana First Steps providers (the only Lake County Audiology department that is credentialed by Indiana First Steps)
Illinois Academy of Audiology (ILAA)
Academy of Doctors of Audiology

Saint Margaret Mercy's Audiology department follows the Indiana Best Practice Guidelines for Audiologic Assessment, Pediatric Amplification and Intervention of the Infant. These guidelines follow the recommendations made by the

Center for Disease Control (CDC)
National Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program
American Academy of Pediatrics
Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH)

For more information about Audiology Services at Saint Margaret Mercy, contact (219) 932-2300, ext. 32003, in Hammond, or (219) 865-2141, ext. 42003, in Dyer.