Youth hearing loss risk factors surge

by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition

Photo credit: Fox

The Chosun Daily website, from South Korea, reported that youth hearing loss risk factors are increasing but testing hearing in young people is inadequate. Reporter Gwok Rae-gon notes that starting in middle school, young people listen to music for hours a day and older teens and young adults frequent noisy “PC rooms,” which is what internet gaming cafes are called in South Korea. Noise levels in the PC rooms can reach 89 decibels.

According to the article, hearing is tested in South Korean schools, but only at 1,000 Hertz and the results are not recorded. Testing at that frequency will not detect high-frequency hearing loss. In the United States, there is no federal mandate for hearing screening in schools, and state laws vary widely. Most states do mandate hearing screening, but the grades at which this is done are different in each state. Screening for hearing loss is a global issue.

Good hearing is necessary for learning. Even mild hearing loss can cause difficulty hearing what the teacher says, leading to poor educational outcomes. About one-third of children with hearing loss have to repeat a grade, which stigmatizes the child and costs the school district an extra year’s costs.

Parents should make sure that the schools their children attend screen for hearing loss. They should also protect their children’s ears by teaching them about the dangers of noise; make them wear ear muff hearing protection if it’s noisy, just like they make them wear a hat or put on sunscreen to protect their skin; and make certain they are listening to music or other content safely.

This way, children’s ears will last a lifetime.