Cultural leader for Hearing Australia Azizah Roe urges ear checks for Indigenous children in Mid West-Gascoyne

Hearing Australia is encouraging families in the Mid West-Gascoyne to get their children’s ears checked, after an alarming 26 per cent of First Nations children were found to have an undiagnosed ear disease. More than 120 children received hearing assessments in the Mid West-Gascoyne in 2022-23. Results found more than 25 per cent had undiagnosed hearing loss and about 19 per cent had ear disease. As NAIDOC Week ends, Hearing Australia is urging parents and primary healthcare providers to ensure young Indigenous children are having regular hearing checks. Geraldton cultural leader and Hearing Australia representative Azizah Roe has first-hand experience and knows how important children’s hearing checks are. Her two-year-old grandson was diagnosed with glue ear and required grommets to prevent a build-up of fluid. “Not hearing properly meant it would impact on his learning ... a few months after his surgery, my grandson had another hearing check and his hearing had returned to normal,” she said. “It was a great outcome and really reinforces the importance of getting our kids’ and grandkids’ hearing checked regularly, because if there are any issues, they can then be put on the path to treatment.” Ms Roe said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experienced some of the highest rates of otitis media (middle ear infection) in the world, with children under two were found to have more ear trouble than older children. “Ear infections are common in children but for First Nations children they typically occur more often, start very early in life and last longer. This can affect their ability to listen, learn, yarn, and connect with others,” she said. “Middle ear disease can be difficult to detect; there may be no symptoms like earache or fever.” Ms Roe said Hearing Australia worked closely with Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service and Meekatharra GP clinic to provide hearing services and support in the region. “We encourage parents and carers of First Nations children to get their children’s hearing checked regularly because often bubs may not show any signs or symptoms of hearing trouble.”