Intervention failing to stem 'illness of poverty'

ONE in five indigenous children has ruptured ear drums, causing hearing loss that subsequently hampers their education and social interactions.

ONE in five indigenous children has ruptured ear drums, causing hearing loss that subsequently hampers their education and social interactions, in what is being referred to as an illness of poverty.

Health experts say the level of ear damage is far in excess of the 4 per cent threshold that the World Health Organisation considers "a massive public health problem requiring immediate action".

This is despite millions of dollars worth of screenings of babies and surgical blitzes in remote communities since the federal intervention began in 2007. Governments across the nation have increased the number of indigenous children being treated, but experts said the underlying bacterial causes -- overcrowded housing and exposure to tobacco smoke -- had kept prevalence rates high.

Amanda Leach, who has spent years conducting research into ear health in remote communities for the Darwin-based Menzies School of Health Research, said the prevalence rate had remained steady in recent years.

"That hearing loss is likely to delay normal auditory processing," Dr Leach said.

"It can have an impact on not only academic outcomes, but also social outcomes and communication skills."

Dr Leach said one of the biggest problems for healthcare workers had been the apparent lack of pain felt by the children suffering ear problems.

"Even tiny babies don't really present with apparent pain," Dr Leach said.

Queensland-based ear, nose and throat specialist Chris Perry, who founded the Deadly Ears program that treats indigenous people across the state and the Northern Territory, said the problem was often exacerbated later in life.

"The problem with the deafness is the kids' language skills are poor, their education's poor, they can't keep up with their teacher so they tend to become more truant," Professor Perry said.

"They come out virtually illiterate and so they're unemployable."

He said overcrowding in houses not only increased the likelihood of bacterial infection in ears, but may also mean that a child's pain is not known to parents due to the amount of noise that can be created.