Generation huh?

Earbuds take a toll on
hearing in young people

The wired-up, linked in earbud generation is becoming deaf faster than any previous generation, experts say.

According to The World Health Organization, 1.1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss because of smartphones, electronic dance music festivals — and the humble earbud.
One estimate is that hearing loss among today’s teens is about 30 percent higher than in the 1980s and 1990s.

Exposure to sound over 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. Earbuds alone increase normal noise by 9 decibels. Irreversible hearing damage can occur in minutes.

A study published in 2014 by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary showed that nerve synapses could be more vulnerable to damage than hair cells in the inner ear. When young animals were exposed to loud noise, even just once, they had accelerated hearing loss later in life.

Quoted by NBC News, Sharon Kujawa, co-author of the study said, “Within minutes of exposure, the points between the hair cells and the neurons were injured and the loss was permanent.”

To protect yourself or your child from hearing loss, apply the 60/60 rule: Keep the volume on the MP3 player under 60 percent and only listen for a maximum of 60 minutes a day. Some smartphones allow parents to lock sound volume with a password.

The issue for schools is serious.

A Florida University study found that 17 percent of adolescents have hearing impairment. An Ohio prep school test found 12.5 percent of its entire student body has significant symptoms of loss. The Journal of Pediatrics estimates 12 percent of children aged 6 to 19 (about 5.2 million) have noise-induced hearing loss. School kids who can’t clearly hear the teacher speak can’t focus on learning.