Written by BJ Towe
Between the ages of 6 and 19, as many as 12.5 percent of American children have experienced some hearing loss, says Garrett Losh, MD, an ENT physician with The Iowa Clinic. In adulthood (ages 20-69) the percentage rises to 15.
“One of the biggest suspected causes is noise-induced hearing loss,” Dr. Losh says. “Overexposure to noise is not only high volume but also long duration.”
Today’s technology appears to be a major culprit, especially in young people. “Listening devices — iPads, smartphones, and other MP3 players— can easily run 10 or more hours. So kids listen to hours and hours of noise each day,” Losh says.
To Protect Hearing, Losh Recommends Headphones
- Avoid loud noise whenever possible.
- Turn down the volume of music systems. Most personal listening devices have an adjustable “volume limit” in the Settings menu.
- Move away from the source of loud sound whenever possible.
- Wear hearing protection devices.
Because there are many other potential causes for hearing loss, it’s important to see an ENT specialist or licensed audiologist for any type of hearing concern.