Mayo boy whose hearing loss allegedly not detected by hospital settles case for €175,000

Danielle Walsh Ronan

A 10-year-old boy whose hearing loss was allegedly not picked up for four years has settled a High Court action for €175,000.

Stephen Connor, the court heard, had a hearing test at Mayo General Hospital in 2013 when he was a two-year-old toddler, but that test was allegedly inadequate.

Hugh O’Keeffe SC with Doireann O’Mahony BL told the court the boy remained undiagnosed as suffering a hearing loss until 2017.

He said the boy is one of a cohort of children identified in an HSE review of audiology services in the West between 2011 and 2015.

The HSE later apologised for failures identified in the review of paediatric audiology services in Co Mayo and Co Roscommon and found out of 995 cases examined, 49 children had been affected. Thirteen children were retested and identified as having a hearing loss.

Stephen Connor, Turlough, Castlebar, Co Mayo has through his mother Michelle Connor sued the HSE for allegedly failing to provide adequate audiological assessment and management to him and allegedly delaying the diagnosis of his hearing impairment.

The settlement is without an admission of liability.

Alleged failures

When he was 2 years of age, the boy was referred to the audiology services at Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar.

It was claimed the boy's mother had been concerned, but she was told Stephen’s hearing was perfect.

Five months later, in October 2013, Stephen had further audiological assessments and his hearing was regarded as normal.

It was claimed the testing carried out was totally inadequate and that the boy’s hearing was recorded as normal despite it was claimed clear evidence of speech delay and parental concern.

Three years later the boy failed school hearing screening tests in the right ear and had borderline results in his left ear.

He was again referred to the audiology services, and he was seen in April 2017 where he was found to have hearing loss in both ears greater in the right than the left.

It was claimed there was an alleged failure to perform a proper and thorough audiological assessment of the boy when he was a toddler in 2013 and an avoidable delay was caused in the management of his hearing loss.

It was alleged the boy had been deprived of the opportunity of significantly earlier management of his hearing impairment which would have given him full access to the speech spectrum and improved his language acquisition during that time.

All the claims were denied.

Counsel told the court while the boy’s hearing loss is not severe it is significant as to its effect.

Approving the settlement Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a fair and reasonable settlement, and he wished the boy and his family all the best for the future.