SCENERIO Baxter, a year three Aboriginal student who at age three developed a sensorineural hearing impairment after repeated exposure to Otitis Media. Baxter uses a cochlear implant on one ear, as the other was not viable. Unfortunately, due to bullying in previous years Baxter has limited confidence in his communication skills and will rarely speak aloud, except with the teacher privately, close friends, and family. Baxter often communicates using basic sign language, but relies heavily on gestures. He is currently working with a speech therapist to increase his speech and language skills and to increase his confidence. Being located in the western suburbs allowed Baxter to remain close to his family, but lives with his working single mother and grandfather who are present in his life, but not so in the classroom. Baxter interest lie in technology and robotics but has a gift for sports, a number of which he plays …show more content…
2015). In Australia between nine and 12 children per 10,000 births will be born with a moderate or greater hearing loss in both ears and a further 23 children per 10,000 will acquire a hearing impairment that will require hearing aids by the age of 17 (Australian Hearing 2013). Within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities it is estimated that 30-80% of indigenous children will suffer from some form of hearing loss. Ear disease and hearing impairments is a significant problem in developing countries and among many of the indigenous populations, especially in Australia (Burrow et al. 2009). Although middle ear disease or Otitis Media (OM), an inflammation of the middle ear, typically leads to conductive hearing loss there are rare cases leading to high frequency sensorineural hearing loss after repeated exposure (Burrow et al. 2009; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASLHA]