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Ear Infections

Middle ear infections are one of the main reasons that children visit a GP, are prescribed antibiotics and need surgery. Aboriginal children are particularly susceptible and commonly suffer from hearing loss which can affect speech and learning.

New ear health study music to the ears of Aboriginal children

Wait times for Aboriginal children suffering ear infections could be reduced to less than four weeks thanks to a new The Kids Research Institute Australia research project

Four BrightSpark Fellowships awarded to early-career researchers at The Kids

Congratulations to four outstanding early-career researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia, who have been awarded BrightSpark Foundation fellowships and project funding for 2026.

Australian-first study set to unveil major impact of ear disease on Aboriginal children

Researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia have been awarded a $1.1 million NHMRC ‘Targeted Call for Hearing Health’ grant to conduct the first ever study following Aboriginal babies from birth through to five years to uncover the true prevalence of middle ear infections and hearing loss.

Australian Aboriginal children with otitis media have reduced antibody titers to specific nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae vaccine antigens

decreased serum IgG responses to NTHi outer membrane proteins may contribute to the development of chronic and severe OM in Australian Aboriginal children

A systematic review of the evidence that swimming pools improve health and wellbeing in remote Aboriginal communities in Australia

The benefits that swimming pools may bring to to ear and eye health in remote Aboriginal communities remains unresolved

PneuMum: Impact from a trial of maternal pneumococcal vaccination on middle ear disease amongst Indigenous infants

This study was unable to demonstrate efficacy of 23vPPV in pregnancy against the co-primary outcomes of either all-cause infant ear disease.

Prevalence and risk factors for parent-reported recurrent otitis media during early childhood

The prevalence of parent-reported rOM was 26.8% (611/2280) and 5.5% (125/2280) for severe rOM in the Study.

Does Child Care in the First Year of Life Pose a Risk for Concurrent and Future Ear Infections?

The longitudinal analyses found no evidence of increased (or decreased) long-term risk of ear infections in subsequent waves associated with attending a child care centre

Australian Aboriginal children have higher hospitalization rates for otitis media but lower surgical procedures than non-Aboriginal children

Aboriginal children and children from lower socio-economic backgrounds were over-represented with OM-related hospitalizations but had fewer TTIs