DISABILITIES

• 4% could not participate in games or sports involving strong exercise

Limitations of independent function

Carers were asked if their children needed physical help with activities of daily living such as eating, dressing, bathing and going to the toilet. An estimated 380 or 2% of children aged 4 to 17 years required help with these basic activities.

Other reported limitations in the independent functioning of 4 to 17 year-old children due to illness or disability were:

• 4% could not participate in games or sports involving strong exercise
• 4% needed special help at school.
• Just over one quarter (27%) were limited in one or more sensory functions (vision, hearing or speech) or experienced pain.

Children aged 4 to 17 years – Sensory function problems and pain,
by age

Vision impairment

There were an estimated 1,850 or 8% of 4 to 17 year-old Aboriginal children who did not have normal vision in both eyes. This is significantly lower than the 14% of all 4 to 16 year-old children in the 1993 WA Child Health Survey found not to have normal vision in both eyes. Impaired vision was more common in older children – 11% of 12 to 17 year-olds compared with 6% of children aged 4 to 11 years.

The reported prevalence of vision problems decreased as the level of relative isolation increased – from 11% in the Perth metropolitan area (no relative isolation) to 3% in areas of extreme isolation.

Children aged 4 to 17 – Vision problems, by level of relative isolation

Around six in ten (58%) children who did not have normal vision in both eyes used prescribed glasses or contact lenses, the proportion declining particularly in areas of high and extreme isolation.

Hearing problems

An estimated 1,560 or 7% of Aboriginal children aged 4 to 17 years did not have normal hearing in both ears. Of these children, the highest proportion (an estimated 760 or 49%) were deaf or partially deaf in one ear only while almost one quarter (24%) were deaf or partially deaf in both ears. The type of hearing problem was not stated in a quarter of cases.

Speech difficulties

An estimated 2,240 or 10% of children were reported to have trouble saying certain sounds, this problem decreasing with increasing age.

Among children aged 4 to 11 years, males were more likely to have difficulty saying certain sounds (17% compared with 10% for females) and more likely to stutter (8% compared with 3% for females).

4% needed special help at school.

Just over one quarter (27%) were limited in one or more sensory functions (vision, hearing or speech) or experienced pain.

Children aged 4 to 17 years – Sensory function problems and pain,
by age

Vision impairment

There were an estimated 1,850 or 8% of 4 to 17 year-old Aboriginal children who did not have normal vision in both eyes. This is significantly lower than the 14% of all 4 to 16 year-old children in the 1993 WA Child Health Survey found not to have normal vision in both eyes. Impaired vision was more common in older children – 11% of 12 to 17 year-olds compared with 6% of children aged 4 to 11 years.

The reported prevalence of vision problems decreased as the level of relative isolation increased – from 11% in the Perth metropolitan area (no relative isolation) to 3% in areas of extreme isolation.

Children aged 4 to 17 – Vision problems, by level of relative isolation

Around six in ten (58%) children who did not have normal vision in both eyes used prescribed glasses or contact lenses, the proportion declining particularly in areas of high and extreme isolation.

Hearing problems

An estimated 1,560 or 7% of Aboriginal children aged 4 to 17 years did not have normal hearing in both ears. Of these children, the highest proportion (an estimated 760 or 49%) were deaf or partially deaf in one ear only while almost one quarter (24%) were deaf or partially deaf in both ears. The type of hearing problem was not stated in a quarter of cases.

Speech difficulties

An estimated 2,240 or 10% of children were reported to have trouble saying certain sounds, this problem decreasing with increasing age.

Among children aged 4 to 11 years, males were more likely to have difficulty saying certain sounds (17% compared with 10% for females) and more likely to stutter (8% compared with 3% for females).