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Why We Need Hear For You

• There are an estimated 20,000 children and adolescents in Australia, with some form of hearing impairment. 1
  

• There are almost 16,000 deaf and hearing impaired children under the age of 21 in Australia who are fitted with hearing aids. 2
  

• International research has shown that children who have problems making themselves understood are at high risk of social isolation and are 4 times more likely to have a mental health disorder. 3
  

• The risk of having a mental health issue is not associated with the degree of hearing impairment. Rather, it is the level of communication and social difficulty experienced, that affects mental health. 4
  

• Approximately 500 babies are born with a hearing loss in Australia each year. 5
  

• 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents. 6
  

• More than 83% of deaf children and adolescents attend mainstream schools where they are often the sole student in their class or school who is deaf. 7
  

• Deaf children are at a greater risk of developing mental health difficulties/ dysfunction than their hearing peers because of the isolation they experience. 8
  

• Employment opportunities for deaf and hearing impaired people are significantly less than for hearing applicants. 9
  

• Australian research shows that an estimated one in five children and adolescents is likely to suffer from a mental health problem before reaching adulthood. 1
  

• Evidence from international studies investigating the mental health of deaf children and adolescents indicate that the prevalence rate for mental health problems can be over 40% in this population with a higher incidence of emotional, behavioural and attentional problems when compared to hearing children and adolescents. 2