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August 30, 2013

Fit Facts: Too Loud, Too Young

Think your teen doesn’t listen? The problem could be her ears, not her attitude. A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds one in five adolescents has some degree of hearing loss.

Noise-induced hearing loss was once limited to construction workers, soldiers and drummers. But as more children and teens use electronic devices and headphones, and attend concerts, they are experiencing the same hearing problems as older adults.

The first sounds to go are usually high-pitched noises and voices in a crowded room. A ringing or buzzing sound in the ears after going to a loud event is called tinnitus. It usually lasts until the ears gradually readjust to normal sound levels. Experiencing tinnitus or having to yell to be heard are both signs that the environment is too loud.

To protect your kids’ hearing, make sure they keep the volume low. Their electronic devices shouldn’t be audible to those around them. Also, give your children earplugs to wear in noisy environments, such as at concerts and while mowing the lawn.
  
Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association, August 18, 2010; Kidshealth.org

 

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