About middle ear disease
Middle ear infections are common in young children, but they can cause permanent ear damage and affect speech and language if they're ongoing or not treated.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children get more severe middle ear infections and more often.
Learn more about middle ear disease.
Signs of ear troubles
- Temperature
- Runny nose
- Runny ears
- Cranky and upset
- Hard to settle
- Pulling at ears
- Not reacting to noises
- Complaining of sore ears
Sometimes children with ear disease don't have any pain or symptoms. That's why it's important they get an ear check every time they visit a health worker, nurse or their GP.
If you're worried about your child, get their ears checked or call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for more information. They'll help you decide if your child should be referred to Deadly Ears.
Keeping ears healthy
You can keep ears healthy and get less ear and chest infections by:
- keeping hands and faces clean
- keeping up to date with jabs - ask your local child health nurse if you're not sure
- teaching your child to blow their nose
- giving them crunchy vegetable and fruit to eat – like apples, pears, carrots and cucumber
- breastfeeding bubs as long as possible – this helps protect their immune system and unblock ears
- not propping bottles up for feeds
- not smoking around kids – they can get ear and chest infections from secondary smoke.
There are also things you can do at home to help build their language skills. Read more about yarning and listening on the Plum and Hats website.
For teachers and early childhood workers
Learn how to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with middle ear disease.
If you notice problems
If a child can't hear properly, they won't understand what's happening at school or daycare. They'll find it hard to concentrate and will struggle to:
- learn to talk
- play with others
- say words clearly
- listen to others
- learn new things.
They may also not hear the same sounds as you or they might watch your face to hear you.
Find out how you can talk to parents and children on how to keep ears healthy on the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website.
If you're worried about a child, talk to their parent or carer. Encourage them to get their ears checked by a GP, nurse or health worker.
They can also call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for more information.
Help in the classroom
There are some simple things you can do to help children with hearing difficulties in the classroom.
- Sit them at the front so they can hear you better
- Make sure they can see your face when you're talking
- Don't cover your mouth with your hands or a book when you're reading to the class
- Arrange chairs in a u-shape or a circle to help them interact with their classmates
- Reduce background noise if you can
- Use actions and pictures when you're talking
- Use pictures to show when you're moving to a new activity
Find out how you can help children who are having trouble hearing in early childhood centres.
This website may contain images and voice/video recordings of those who have passed away.
Watch the Strategies that help children with hearing loss in early years environments video on the Queensland Education YouTube channel.
Order free books, stickers and flipcharts
There are free resources for early childhood and primary school teachers who care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with middle ear disease.
You can order activity books, crayons, stickers, and flipcharts and watch videos and talking books from the following websites.
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - Care for Kid's Ears resources
- Hearing Australia - Everything you need to know about hearing
- Education Queensland, Learning Place - Ear Health Resources
If you're not sure about a child's hearing, you can use the Sound Scouts tool as a basic online hearing test. You'll get a report straight away that will also tell you what the next steps should be if it detects a hearing loss.
Getting a referral to Deadly Ears
Any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child up until their 16th birthday, can be referred to Deadly Ears if they have ongoing middle ear concerns.
They must also live in of these areas or close by, and be referred by a GP, a nurse or an ear trained health worker.
- Thursday Island
- Northern Peninsula Area
- Palm Island
- Mornington Island
- Doomadgee
- Normanton
- Mt Isa
- Woorabinda
- Cherbourg.
If you're a health professional, find out how to refer a child to our program.