The first few months of life are crucial for hearing and language development. That’s why newborn hearing screening is offered to all babies shortly after birth to detect potential hearing concerns early. Inspire Centre provides newborn hearing screening, in partnership with WordPlay at the North Bay Regional Health Centre.

The Infant hearing program performs hearing screens and a risk factor screen for your newborn. This quick and painless test checks for any signs of hearing loss so that, if needed, your baby can receive timely intervention.

Blind Low Vision Program- Family Support

Vision is essential for early learning, mobility, and independence. Inspire Centre provides Blind Low Vision Family Support Services in partnership with WordPlay at the North Bay Regional Health Centre. Our Blind Low Vision Family Support Program helps families understand and navigate the challenges of vision impairment in young children.

Our family support specialists work with families to create customized plans that help children develop essential skills for communication, mobility, and self-care. With the right support, children with vision challenges can thrive in their environment.

Complex Care Clinic

Caring for a child with complex medical needs can be overwhelming.  Our Complex Care Clinic provides comprehensive, family-centered support for children requiring specialized medical and developmental care closer to home.

At Inspire Centre, the Complex Care Clinic is offered four times a year in partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), the Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) the Timmins and District Hospital (TDH) and Ontario Health At Home (OHAH). Its aims to:

Improve patient and family/caregiver experience and health outcomes of children with medical fragility and technology dependency,

Build capacity and expertise within the community through the provision of specialized complex care services for children and their families/caregivers, and

Optimize system resources by coordinating and standardizing care delivery and services across the continuum of health.

Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic

Babies born prematurely or with medical complications may require extra monitoring to ensure they reach important developmental milestones. Our Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic supports families by providing early intervention and support to help infants born prematurely reach their full potential.

At Inspire Centre, our neonatal follow-up clinic consists of a team of professionals, including a pediatrician and therapists (occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech and language pathologist), to assess and address the specific needs of each infant and toddler as they grow.

Our Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic will: 

• Assess communication and motor development
• Monitor developmental milestones
• Monitor overall health and nutrition
• Provide support for access to community services and other specialists as needed
• Provide education and information to caregivers in order to support and help them understand their child’s needs and development

Early intervention plays a key role in helping infants overcome challenges to assist them in achieving their full potential.  Our team is here to provide the guidance and support required.

Toe Walking Clinic

If your child frequently walks on their toes past the toddler stage, it may be a sign of muscle tightness, coordination issues, sensory processing challenges or developmental concerns. In the vast majority of cases, persistent toe walking is idiopathic, meaning that the cause is unknown.

Our Toe Walking Clinic provides: 

• Assessments to determine the cause of toe walking, where possible
• Therapy and stretching exercises to improve mobility,
• Bracing and/or orthotics, and
• Treatment recommendations including intervention to help  improve walking patterns, posture, and muscle function, while meeting sensory needs

Feeding Clinic

Eating should be an enjoyable experience, but feeding challenges can make mealtimes stressful for families. Our Feeding Clinic helps children with:

• Chewing and swallowing difficulties
• Sensory sensitivities to food textures
• Picky eating or food refusal behaviours 
• Gagging or choking

We use play-based techniques and therapy to make eating easier, safer, and more comfortable for your child. Whether your child has a medical condition, sensory aversion, or oral motor delay, we provide personalized strategies to improve their feeding skills.

Orthotics Clinic

Some children need additional support for walking, posture, and mobility. Our Orthotics Clinic provides:

• Custom orthotic assessments and fittings
• Bracing solutions to improve movement and stability
• Ongoing adjustments and care to ensure comfort and function

Whether your child requires foot orthotics, braces, or assistive devices, we work with families to create customized solutions that enhance mobility and independence.

Early Childhood Development Clinic

Are you concerned about your child’s development, speech, motor skills, or behavior? Our Early Childhood Development Clinic offers:

• Developmental assessments to identify delays
• Early intervention strategies tailored to your child’s needs
• Connections to therapy services for ongoing support

Early support can make a big difference in your child’s future success. If you have concerns, our team is here to help guide you through the next steps in their developmental journey.

Inspire Centre provides Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic hub assessments, in partnership with Child & Community Resources, in the Cochrane and Temiskaming District.

Our diagnostic hub team specializes in providing timely access to diagnostics, in order to assess children for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which includes concerns related to: 

• Social interactions
• Communication
• Repetitive behaviours
• Learning and developmental challenges
• Sensory sensitivities

Our hub uses a multi-disciplinary approach to assessments, which includes a pediatrician or psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language pathologist as well as a social worker. Following assessment, our team of clinicians will ensure that you and your child are provided with appropriate resources and information to help get you connected with the appropriate supports.