Noise-Induced Hearing Loss & Its Impact on Teens

With the increase in the prevalence of technology over the past decade, our lives have never been busier and fuller of distractions—and we’ve never been more at risk for hearing loss than we are now.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was a problem only older people faced. Still, over the prior three decades, hearing loss has increased in age ranges that used to be mostly immune to NIHL, including teenagers.

So, What’s Going On?

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, one in three people now develops hearing loss due to exposure to extreme noise, which starts in the teenage years. Rates of NIHL in teens have increased since 1990 from 14.9% to 19.5% in young adults ages 12 to 19, which coincides with increases in ownership of portable music devices like the iPod. Between 2005 and 2010, iPods and MP3 players exploded in popularity, with purchases of such devices for children and teenagers rising from 18% to 76%. Now, 5 million individuals ages 6 to 19 suffer from some form of NIHL.

Some children may have hearing loss but do not know it. In many cases, hearing loss from noise exposure may not surface until many years later. So, while 30% more adolescents are experiencing hearing loss than their parents and other relatives did in the late ’80s, many won’t know the extent of the damage caused until decades later.

How Do We Fix It?

Parents, we hate to tell you, but the best way to prevent hearing loss of this magnitude is to talk to your kids. Education and awareness can have the most significant impact on your children regarding health issues like this.

The goal is to tell your children to be careful about how loudly they listen to music on their devices. You may also want to introduce limitations on how long your kids use their headphones. While headphones are one way not to have to listen to whatever pop song is popular, it’s creating a world where your children can loudly listen to it without limitations.

Another way we can fix this issue is through regular hearing screenings. According to a National Poll on Children’s Health survey hosted by the University of Michigan, most parents are in favor of requiring regular hearing screenings for children from preschool to teenage years. If you suspect your child may have hearing loss, or if you experience a sudden change in hearing or ringing in the ears, mild hearing loss may be the culprit.

A hearing screening is similar to a routine vision test. Patients are asked to wear headphones and hear tones played through different sides of the headphones. Then, the patient must raise their hand on the side where they hear the tone. As a non-invasive test, it’s one of the most accessible screenings.

Of course, screening is also one of the best ways to discover if your child has a hearing problem. If your child does have a hearing issue, we’ll work with you to establish a treatment plan.

Let Vibrant Hearing Help!

Hearing loss is incurable, but it is preventable. Vibrant Hearing is here to help you with any hearing issues. From children to older folks, we can help anyone who needs it. For a free consultation on how hearing loss may affect your family, contact us or call (406) 552-0412 today.

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