Sahayla is ready for the next step

Starting school is a little more special for Sahayla than most of her Narre Warren North classmates.
She was diagnosed with hearing loss when she was eight-and-a-half-months old.
Two weeks later she was fitted with her first hearing aids and at age 16 months received bilateral cochlear implants.
Sahayla’s now ready to enter her Mary Mackillop Primary School classroom on Thursday 2 February and celebrated how far she’d come with other preps-to-be at Australian Hearing in Dandenong.
Mum Emma Maddicks said Sahayla’s speech and language had come a long way.
“It’s above many other kids who have full hearing,” she said.
“She was tested for speech and language at five years of age and her results were equal to that of a six-and-a-half-year-old.
“It’s been a long journey but she’s well and truly ready for this next step.”
For years Sahayla has received support through specialist hearing services and early intervention at Australian Hearing.
Australian Hearing Dandenong manager Jacinta Gerin said the early years of a child’s life were critical.
“So beginning intervention as soon as possible after the diagnosis of a hearing loss minimises any delay in a child’s language development,” she said.
“Our role is to help optimise a child’s hearing to make sure they are given the best opportunity to develop speech, communicate effectively and reach their full potential at school and beyond.”
With funding from the Federal Government’s Hearing Services Program, Australian Hearing provides hearing services for people with a permanent hearing loss aged up to 26.