Our evidence-based and goal-focused programs address the listening, language, communication and social skills children need to flourish in their early years.

NextSense Best Practice Lead for Early Intervention (Hearing), Inge Kaltenbrunn says according to the Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI) study around 35% of children with hearing loss had additional needs (Cupples, et al., 2018).

And despite early identification and intervention, the presence of additional needs can affect language and communication outcomes in children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

“So, early intervention programs need to consider how to optimise the listening and communication outcomes in children with hearing loss with additional needs,” Inge says.

“That’s why NextSense builds a team around the child. The team consists of a range of professionals who work in a balanced partnership with families to form an integrated and collaborative team around the child. They support the child and family’s ongoing needs through transdisciplinary teamwork, to optimise outcomes and achieve the family’s goals for their child.”

The team includes teachers of the deaf, speech pathologists, audiologists, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, and psychologists with experience in promoting the early development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and have requisite skills that match the needs of the child and family.

We optimise outcomes by collaborating with external professionals and programs to work towards the best outcome for children and their families. As our services continue to grow, so too our allied health team.

It’s the collaborative teamwork in this approach that enables NextSense to help children and families reach their individual listening and communication goals.