Why we need the Deadly Ears Program

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have one of the highest rates of middle ear disease in the world. They also get more severe forms of the ear disease, more often and at a younger age.

If a child has an ear infection for a long time, or they have them often, they can lose their hearing. This can impact their speech, behaviour and learning. Sometimes, hearing loss is permanent.

Our services

  • Face to face specialist clinics and surgical procedures on outreach
  • Ears and hearing clinics with specialised nurses, audiologists, and ENT specialists using teleotology
  • Speech pathology and occupational therapy services
  • Workforce development, education and support for primary health and education sectors
  • Doing research to improve prevention, treatment, management and culturally capable services around middle ear disease.

Our team

Our team includes the following health professionals.

  • Audiologists
  • Health workers
  • ENT specialists
  • Nurses
  • Speech pathologists
  • Occupational therapists

Deadly Kids Deadly Futures Framework

Deadly Ears collaborates with the Department of Education and other stakeholders to coordinate the implementation of the Deadly Kids, Deadly Futures framework (DKDF)

The DKDF framework describes the Queensland Government's policy for improving outcomes impacted by the ear and hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Read the 2023–2024 Action Plan, 2022–23 Action Plan: Summary Report and key facts about the framework.

Using our services

Children need a referral from either a primary or a community health service to visit one of our clinics.

Get in touch

You can call us on 07 3310 7709. We're open Monday to Friday between 8 am and 4 pm.

Last updated: May 2024