In the Loop Winter 2016

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CHILDREN’S HEALTH QUEENSLAND HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICE DEADLY KIDS DEADLY The Dead ly Ears Program FUTURES 2016-2026 THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT’S RENEWS IT COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE THE EAR AND HEARING HEALTH OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILDREN On 1 March 2016, the Minister for Health Cameron Dick released the Queensland Government’s new 10 year policy to improve the ear and hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, Deadly Kids, Deadly Futures 2016-2026. The launch occurred at Koobara Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Kindergarten, in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, highlighting that a key priority over the next 10 years is preventing and managing the impacts of middle ear disease in the critical 0 to 4 age group. This is why the policy is especially relevant to the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector as this age group accesses services. 24 IN THE LOOP
WHY IS EAR AND HEARING HEALTH A PRIORITY HEALTH CONDITION FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILDREN? Ear and hearing health plays an important role in early childhood development because speech, language, learning and social skills are dependent on children being able to hear. Middle ear disease (or otitis media) is the main cause of hearing problems for children and is the result of bacterial or viral infections behind the eardrum. While the disease affects many children at some point during early childhood, in most cases the condition resolves itself quickly with limited or no medical intervention. However, the condition is a major health problem for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children because they can experience it at a younger age, severely, persistently and frequently, and it is often accompanied by hearing loss. The impacts are substantial and can result in delays in childhood development, affect social relationships, impede learning and reduce school readiness. WHY DO ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILDREN EXPERIENCE THE DISEASE DIFFERENTLY TO NON- INDIGENOUS CHILDREN? There are a number of factors that help explain why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience more severe, persistent and frequent forms of middle ear disease than non-Indigenous children. Middle ear disease is influenced by a combination of social and economic factors. These factors are referred to as the ‘social determinants of health’ because they are the circumstances and conditions that shape and influence a person’s health. HOW WILL THE NEW POLICY INFLUENCE THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE SECTOR? The Queensland Government, through Queensland Health and the Department of Education and Training, are committed to partnering and supporting ECEC providers implement the actions from the new policy and improve the delivery of services to children over the next 10 years. WHAT CAN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE SECTOR DO NOW TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY? Many ECEC providers currently implement these actions as part of their day-to-day operations, but further improvements are needed to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child has healthy ears and can listen, learn and reach their full potential. For educators interacting with children on a dayto-day basis, this means learning to identify the signs and symptoms of hearing loss, having good hygiene and hand washing practices in place, and providing families and carers with information on ear and hearing health, and encouraging them to take their child to their local health service for a check-up if they are experiencing ear and hearing problems. TABLE 1: Early childhood development actions from Deadly Kids, Deadly Futures 2016-2026 DELIVERABLES HEALTH PROMOTION AND PREVENTION SERVICE DELIVERY IMPROVEMENTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DATA COLLECTION AND RESEARCH KEY ACTIONS Encourage early childhood education and care providers to embed and implement public and preventative health approaches into their operating practices to reduce the risk factors associated with childhood diseases and illnesses, including middle ear disease. Support early childhood education and care providers to implement stronger infection control and hygiene practices and processes to effectively respond to outbreaks of communicable disease. Support early childhood education and care providers to inform and educate parents about the impacts of middle ear disease and associated hearing loss on early childhood developmental outcomes and the importance of early intervention. Encourage early childhood education and care providers in areas with a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to identify middle ear disease and associated hearing loss as a priority health condition in relevant operational policies and procedures. Encourage and support early childhood education and care providers to implement effective practice approaches to enhance the listening, language, learning and play skills of children with impacts from middle ear disease and associated hearing loss. Advocate for listening (acoustic) requirements to be incorporated into early childhood sections in the Building Code of Australia and encourage private providers to build environments to meet these standards. Work with relevant stakeholders to enhance the skills, knowledge and competency of early childhood education and care educators to identify the signs and symptoms of middle ear disease and associated hearing loss, and effectively manage its impacts. Promote and engage in data collection and research processes with relevant stakeholders to: • Inform, review and evaluate management approaches for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with identified hearing loss; and • Implement effective classroom modifications to improve the listening and learning environments of children. A range of online resources and tools have been developed for ECEC providers by the Queensland and Australian Governments about identifying the signs and symptoms of middle ear disease and hearing loss, and implementing practical strategies to manage the impacts in early childhood settings. These can be accessed from the following websites: • Queensland Health Deadly Ears Program: www.health.qld.gov.au/deadly_ears/html/educators.asp and • Australian Government Care for Kids’ Ear Campaign: www.careforkidsears.health.gov.au/internet/cfke/publishing.nsf/ Content/childhood-group To order or download a copy of the policy, please visit the Deadly Ears website (www.health.qld.gov.au/deadly_ears), Facebook page (www. fb.com/DeadlyEars) or ring the Deadly Ears Program on (07) 3310 7709. WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 25
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