Clinical features

Severity of hearing loss

To consider H/R Mobility Severely Visually Impaired (SVI) criteria, click on the link H/R Mobility Severely Visually Impaired (SVI) deeming provisions.

Severity of hearing loss	Decibels of hearing loss (dBHL) in the better ear*	Functional loss
Mild	21 - 40	Some difficulty in following speech, mainly in noisy situations.
Moderate	41 - 70	Depending on the level of hearing loss may have difficulty in following speech even with a hearing aid. They may rely on lip reading as well. Depending on the level of hearing loss may have difficulty using the telephone even with the use of an amplified phone.
Severe	71 - 95	Rely a lot on lip reading, even with a hearing aid. However, a severely deaf person whose first language is BSL may not be able to lipread or may have a very limited ability to lipread because it requires an understanding of spoken English. If hearing impaired from childhood, their preferred language may be sign language. They may require a textphone or videophone. Depending on the level of hearing loss some may be able to manage with their hearing aid and a hearing aid compatible telephone. If BSL is their first language then a videophone may be more appropriate.
Profound	>95	Likely to have substantial needs for communication support in particular situations. May have little or no speech. May consistently lipread. However, a profoundly deaf person whose first language is BSL may not be able to lipread or may have a very limited ability to lipread because it requires an understanding of spoken English. If hearing impaired from childhood, their preferred language is likely to be sign language. They require a textphone or videophone.

*Based on the average of the pure tone hearing threshold levels at 250, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000Hz (British Society of Audiology).

Amended April 2011