Dear Madam, My sister, Atei, has been deaf since birth. I have no idea as to what kind of deafness it is. My mother & sister are here from Thailand for a short visit(I'm a student here). If we were to visit you, would you be able to diagnose what kind of deafness she has at this age? I would really appreciate an early reply. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Rajni.

Dear Ms. Rajni,
The John Tracy Clinic provides services for children under six years of age. Since I'm sure that your sister is older, you will need to take her to a facility that sees adults. But to answer your question, yes, a good audiologist can diagnose the type of hearing loss as well as the degree of loss and potential benefit from hearing aids. Are you a student in the Los Angeles area? Some of the major universities such as UCLA, USC or the Cal State campuses offer audiological services, and they might be able to see your sister. You will want to phone them immediately to set up an appointment.
If you have more questions or need information, please write again.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Sutherland