Why is Ear and Hearing Health Recent studies have demonstrated that

EARLY CHILDHOOD

“Hearing loss may also contribute to poor

in the Early Years so Vital? social and emotional wellbeing, behavioural
problems, and poor social skills, and can have
Beverley Scott-Visser, Hearing Health
long-term, negative social impacts, including:
Program Manager (Acting)
limited employment options, increased risk of
Health Development, Department of Health
anti-social behaviour, drug use, and contact
with the criminal justice system.” (Burrow,
In the 2012 Chronical, there will be a number of
Galloway & Weissofner 2009, p 2) The House
articles with regards to Ear and Hearing health,
of Representatives enquiry into Indigenous
starting in this edition with an article about the
youth in the criminal justice system (Doing
Child Hearing Health Coordinators. Readers
Time- Time for Doing 2011, p 111) recognised
may wonder, with so many health issues to
that hearing loss is a significant contributing
consider, why is ear and hearing health so
factor for indigenous children’s disengagement
important?
with the education system and that “Children
with poor educational outcomes are more likely
Otitis Media (OM) is a common middle ear
to be unemployed, placing them at higher risk
infection. However for Indigenous children,
of coming into conflict with the criminal justice
and children living in developing countries OM
system”.
is more persistent and severe, with serious
consequences. Although there are differences
Widespread hearing loss amongst Indigenous
in the incidence of acute OM, the severity of
people may play a part in the overrepresentation
the early infections and the natural sequel
of Indigenous people in jail. In 2007 Indigenous
of recurrent and persistent presentations
prisoners comprised 24% of the total prison
results in a significantly higher prevalence of
population, which was 13 times the non-
Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) and
Indigenous rate, Pink & Allbon (2008). Recently
subsequent hearing impairment.
Vanderpoll and Howard (2011) assessed
inmates hearing in the Darwin Correctional
The onset of OM in Aboriginal children is at a
Centre (DCC) and the Alice Springs Correctional
very young age (in many cases within weeks
Centre (ASCC). Only 6.8% of assessed
of birth) and children are infected with multiple
Indigenous inmates in Darwin had normal
pathogens many times over a long period
hearing (0-25dB), dropping to 4.4% at the
of time. Consequently Aboriginal children
ASCC. Whilst it is not suggested that people
experience an average of 32 weeks of middle
with hearing loss are more likely to commit
ear infections between the ages of two and 20
crimes, hearing loss increases people’s risks of
years, compared to just two weeks for non-
becoming involved in the criminal justice system.
Indigenous children, Kong & Coates (2009).
NAIHO demands that (cited in Eckermann et
It is not uncommon to find reports of prevalence
al 2006, p55) health care “… should strive to
rates of more than 46% in Aboriginal children,
achieve that state where every individual is able
especially in remote communities. “Such high
to achieve their full potential as human beings,
rates have not been described consistently in
and thus bring about the total well-being of their
any other population in the world.” Morris et al
community…” OM is not only limiting individual’s
(2005, p2)
potential, but their communities health as well.
It’s not surprising that the burden of mortality
COM is a major global cause of hearing
and loss of disability-adjusted life years“ from
impairment and has serious long term effects on
OM is substantially greater than from trachoma,
communication, language, auditory processing,
and comparable with that of polio.” (WHO 2000,
psychosocial and cognitive development,
p8)
and subsequent educational progress. With
education considered to be a key factor
References are available at:
in improving the health and wellbeing of
http://www.health.nt.gov.au/Chronic_
Indigenous Australians, this is troubling.
Conditions/Chronic_Disease_Network/The_
Chronicle/index.aspx
20 March 2012
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