Tinnitus books developed by Bolton consultant are helping children aged three and over

Around one in 30 children experience troubles with tinnitus.

Often described as a ‘ringing in the ears’, people who suffer from tinnitus hear a sound in their ear or head which has no external source.

It can be constant, intermittent and vary in volume but, if not managed correctly, can have a negative affect on the sufferer.

While perceived to be a condition adults develop, it is actually quite common in children too.

At the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust there is a dedicated team at its Paediatric Audiology Service helping children identify the condition, diagnosing its severity and providing help.

Consultant Dr Veronica Kennedy has been working with the support of the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) to help develop resources to support youngsters struggling to understand and manage tinnitus.

She has now helped to produce a series of book and leaflets for children and people with learning difficulties which have gone on to win awards.

She explained: “The need for services to support children with tinnitus has been there for a long time. It’s seemed a slow struggle at times but this has been, for me, an example of how a few like-minded people across a number of specialties can, with perseverance, address this need – all with the unfailing support of the British Tinnitus Association.

“People tend to think of it as something old people get or people in their 20s who have been to lots of music concerts, but any age can get it – even three-year-olds.

“For some its not a problem but for others, both adults and children, they need help.

“We want to let people know it is quite common and it is something that you can get help for early on. It helps to demystify it.

“The main problem is training children how to let go and not concentrate on the tinnitus sound. For adults there a lots of things out there that can help but not for a lot of youngsters.

“The books are not at all medical, it just lets them know through reading that they are not alone and other children go through it and goes through what they can do to manage it.

“Children use workbooks all the time for school and it’s on that level and experience.

“Children are very adaptable, if you give them the tools to do it they can often get it on with it.”

The tinnitus activity book leaflets are aimed at children at school key stages of three to four, helping anyone aged eight to 16.

Written by Sandra Lawrence, and illustrated by Kate Smith, they have audiological input from Veronica, and tell the story about children who have the condition as well as exercises designed to guide them into developing management strategies and techniques, as well as reduce the distress and intrusiveness it can cause.

The book won the Special Award in the children’s category of the 2017 BMA Patient Information Awards and another publication, Self Help for Tinnitus, came runner-up in the easy read category for the Special Award at the 2017 Patient Information Awards.

One of a series of four, the book tackles to problem of loss of hearing and is designed for people with learning difficulties.

More than 40 percent of people with learning difficulties suffer from hearing loss, while up to 80 percent of people with tinnitus have a hearing loss.

The paediatric tinnitus service in Bolton, based at Halliwell Children’s Centre, can see around 15 children a day but of them four to five will have tinnitus, with one being severely affected by it.

Veronica adds: “It can occur at any age. I had a three year old who told me ‘I can hear a baby crying in my ears’.

“Children can be very imaginative in the way they describe things. It can be anything from hearing a lady singing to a train chugging.

“But once you find it, it can be quickly resolved.

“It helps to put it into context and explain why that sound is there. But you cannot just tell someone to ignore it because that’s a sure fire way of getting attention on to it!

“You have to find something else to put attention on, a relaxation strategy of breathing.

“It’s a problem best approached early. Try not to wait, if there is something wrong come in because there is care available.”

As well as the publications, Veronica has been involved with the BTA in developing a national British Society of Audiology good practice guidance for helping children with tinnitus – which has been taken up internationally – and getting children’s tinnitus recognised as one of the top 10 research uncertainties by the James Lind Alliance Tinnitus Priority Setting Partnership.

For more help and guidance on children’s tinnitus visit:

* www.tinnitus.org.uk

* www.plugem.co.uk

* www.takeontinnitus.co.uk

And the tinnitus activity book leaflets, published by the BTA, are available to view on line here www.tinnitus.org.uk/support-for-children

* Service for adults with tinnitus can be found through the Adult Audiology Service at the Royal Bolton Hospital.