Dr. Waheeda Pagarkar

Dr Waheeda Pagarkar is a Consultant in Audiovestibular Medicine, currently working at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and University College London Hospital. She is a specialist in children with hearing and balance difficulties. Her special expertise lies in Paediatric dizziness/balance difficulty/vestibular disorders, Paediatric Tinnitus/hyperacusis, Dual sensory impairment Auditory Neuropathy, aetiological investigations of hearing loss, and children with complex and multiple audiovestibular symptoms. She is the Lead Clinican for the Paediatric Balance Clinic at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

Dr Pagarkar received her Medical Degree from Mumbai University, following which she completed her MRCPCH in 1999 and MSc in Audiological Medicine at University College London in 2004. She completed her Audiovestibular training in London and was appointed to Consultant post in 2006. She has been Clinical Lead of the Paediatric Audiology Service at Hackney Ark between 2006-2017, after which, she moved to join her current posts. She has been Chairman of the Clinical Standards Subcommittee of the British Association of Audiovestibular Physicians from 2012-2018, and has been involved in drafting guidelines for investigation of children with permanent hearing loss.

Dr Pagarkar is Educational Supervisor at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and involved in supervision of specialty trainee doctors. She is published regularly in book chapters and peer-reviewed journals. She lectures on various professional Audiovestibular courses and has presented research at national and international conferences. Her research interests include Paediatric balance disorders, genetic hearing loss and dual sensory impairment.

Diseases, Medical Tests and Treatments

• Children with hearing difficulties.
• Children with dizziness/vertigo and balance difficulties. .
• Children with tinnitus and hyperacusis/ sound sensitivity.
• Children with permanent and temporary hearing loss.
• Aetiological investigations for hearing loss
• Genetic hearing loss
• Auditory Neuropathy
• Glue ear
• Dual sensory impairment
• Complex audiovestibular symptoms
• Ear wax
• Hearing assessment: Age appropriate behavioural audiometric tests
• Objective tests: Tympanometry, reflexes, impedance tests, otoaocustic emissins
• Evoked response tests: Auditory brainstem evoked potentials
• Vestibular test battery: rotational chair, VHIT, VEMP, Caloric test
• Tinnitus assessment and management
• Tinnitus counselling
• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Hyperacusis management
• Hearing aids and amplification