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Healthy ears campaign to provide happier lives by marcus priaulx What do you do when babies wake screaming, they have a high fever, are in pain and pus may come from their ears and fluid has pooled in their ear canal and their ear drums may have burst to cause permanent hearing loss? The fallout can be horrific with following learning and social interaction difficulties. It’s a condition that affects Australia’s Aboriginal children more than other population in the world, for reasons unknown. It’s called Otitis Media or glue ear. Colds and flues are a major cause and a campaign to educate parents to reduce the endemic was launched in Cherbourg yesterday (24th April 2013). A short film called Ears For Us Mob was made by CAMRA producer Andrew Beckett with the help of local people, Cherbourg community health services, Federal Government funding and I&G Media. It outlines: • Otitis Media’s symptoms; • The importance of breastfeeding to build babies’ immunity to colds, flues and other germs; • The need for children to blow their noses regularly; • How parents and older siblings should often wash their hands and definitely before playing with younger children to prevent the spread of cold and flu germs; • How parents need to take their children for regular check-ups and take them to the doctor if they suspect their child’s ears may be affected;
Mum Tammy Brown took baby Chanikka Brown, 20 months, to the Barambah Parental and Community Engagement’s mobile library at the Healthy Ears for Us Mob launch at Cherbourg yesterday. “Healthy ears are deadly and needed to hear mum read to me,” baby Channikka said. Image supplied
• The need to finish whatever course of antibiotic or medicines doctors prescribe, even if the ears seem better, to prevent the condition returning; • The importance of healthy eating and not smoking around your children; • And how the condition has reduced significantly with the bringing of a Healthy Ears to check children in March and October each year for the past seven years
Cherbourg’s Ear Health coordinator Cecil Brown said 87 per cent of children checked in 2005 had Otitis Media or hearing problems. “That’s now down to about 55 per cent,” Mr Brown said. “But parents shouldn’t wait for the van to have their children’s hearing checked if they believe there could be a problem. “They need to see their doctor or health care worker straight away.” Page 1
Other symptoms of Otitis Media may include children not being able to speak properly, speaking loudly or asking people to repeat themselves often, constantly turning the TV up or not hearing their parents’ instructions. “It’s important to take note of all this information to ensure our gundoos have a great start in life,” Ears For Us Mob assistant producer
and Cherbourg woman Jeanette Brown said. “Being able to hear well is important for our young’s future learning and interaction with people.” Mr Beckett was pleased with the feedback and hoped the short film would go nationally. “It has all the key messages,” he said.
Murgon mum Belinda Brown with new baby Peter, 2 months. Image supplied
“Every house in Cherbourg will get one along with South Burnett community health services and we’re hoping NITV will air it too. “We’re also looking to upload it on the web through YouTube. “We hope it makes a huge difference to the health of children’s ears so they can get the best start in life.”