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Clear ears for children by Marcus Priaulx 9 November 2013
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t starts with a runny nose but can end with learning difficulties, behavioural problems and a lifetime of hardship if parents don’t ensure their children’s ears are healthy. Otitis Media, Glue Ear or middle ear infections: no matter what you call them they can cause massive damage if allowed to happen or left untreated. Hearing difficulties can then occur and are common in children aged 0-4 years. This is a time when children’s brains are like sponges and they learn more than for the rest of their life. But these ear infections can easily be prevented and treated by ensuring children see their doctor, their noses are clear and their hands are washed regularly. Ensuring you breastfeed and don’t smoke around children or drink alcohol while pregnant will also boost your young ones immunity to fight off the bacteria and germs that cause ear infections. Barambah Medical Centre and Community Health organisations are now calling for parents to take action. “If kids have a steady runny nose you can almost guarantee they have ear problems,” Deadly Ears audiologist Simon McCormack said. Other symptoms can be pain, grumpiness, difficulty in hearing, and children looking for cues from those around them to know what’s being said and required of them. Learning difficulties, a loss of confidence and behavioural issues that stem from not hearing or understanding what they’re being asked to do can result. In the long term, these chronic ear infections can cause great
Healthy ears hear better: Cherbourg Community Health Hearing coordinator Cecil “Pickle” Brown checks the ears of Cherbourg State School’s prep student Summer Sullivan. Summer loves school and is able to learn due to her having healthy ears. Image supplied
damage to your children’s selfesteem and worth as they grow older. “All children get ear infections,” Mr McCormack said and it’s rare to have only one child in a family with the condition. This is because Otitis Media germs are highly contagious. This is why parents are being asked to have their children checked and treated and ensure good hygiene to prevent germs that cause ear infections from spreading to others. Cherbourg Community Health Hearing coordinator Cecil “Pickle” Brown said the best way to prevent ear damage was to ensure parents took their children to the doctor if they showed any signs or symptoms. He said the impact of Otitis Media had been drastically reduced through the work of the Health-eScreen 4 Kids program and Deadly Ears team visits to South Burnett schools. But much more can be done within the homes. “You can never be too careful when it comes to your children” Mr
Brown said. “I could see a child one day and their ears could be fine, two days later they might encounter problems, especially if they get a cold for instance.” If parents see any symptoms they need to take their child to the doctor straight away. Antibiotics and medication will help combat the problem. It’s important to take all medication until it is finished and it is not okay for children to have ongoing ear problems. Otitis Media can have major ramifications on children’s learning, friendships, family relationships and long term wellbeing and happiness. It can be easily prevented. Mr Brown now strongly encourages all parents who have received an ENT (Ear Nose Throat) appointment to attend with their child/children on the appointment day and time. They then have the opportunity to discuss their child’s ear condition with the ENT Specialist at the ENT Clinic on the 3rd to 5th December 2013 at the Cherbourg Hospital. Page 1