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Child Hearing Crisis: Year-Long Waits for Ear Surgery
5 Apr
Summary
- One in 10 patients wait over a year for a short ear procedure.
- Children face risks of learning delays and hearing loss.
- Regional and Indigenous children are disproportionately affected.
Demand on New South Wales' surgical system is causing critical delays, with one in 10 patients waiting over a year for a brief ear procedure. This puts children at substantial risk of developmental setbacks, including learning delays and permanent hearing loss.
The issue is most severe for children in regional areas, where recruiting specialists poses a significant challenge for hospitals. Indigenous children, who suffer from some of the world's highest rates of chronic ear disease, are also disproportionately affected.
An ear, nose, and throat surgeon highlighted that children can experience up to 32 months of hearing loss in their early years due to 'glue ear,' deeming the situation an 'appalling' developmental emergency.
