Ear bus
Variety Caring for Kids Program
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Variety recently granted our third Variety Ear Bus to the Speech and Hearing Centre, worth $130,000.
Approximately 75% of indigenous children experience middle ear infection and disease compared to 35% for non-indigenous children. The problem is so severe it is considered an epidemic by the World Health Organisation.
The Variety Ear Bus program aims to reduce this rate, with the bus traveling to schools throughout Perth, Bunbury and the South West WA to provide children with access to regular hearing screening, treatment and referral for medical intervention if required.
When this program started, 41% of aboriginal children in WA schools could not pass a routine hearing screen. Preliminary results for the start of 2010 suggest a dramatic 12% improvement from this time last year.
Speech & Hearing Centre CEO Paul Higginbotham says this is encouraging evidence that the Variety Ear Bus is working.
“By improving hearing, we are helping indigenous children perform and learn better at school, which increases their employment opportunities and thus has a lifelong impact - none of which would be happening without Variety’s support” Paul says.