areawoman health
Writer: Kristi Monson
Photographer: CLASSIC Photography
Teen hearing loss on the rise Simple Solution Prevents Noise-induced Hearing Loss
hat? Huh? I can’t hear you! It’s a sign of rebellious adolescence, or it could indicate your teen has some hearing loss. A 2010 study compared hearing loss in 12- to 19-year olds from 1988-94 to 2005-06. The trend is startling: Nearly one in five teens has noise-induced hearing loss, or 6.5 million American teenagers. “The portability of music has increased dramatically — speakers in car trunks, iPods, Nintendo DS, sound-enhanced stereos. These devices are on constantly everywhere in our environment,” said Dr. Megan Bolda, Au.D., a clinical audiologist at Catalyst Medical Center. “Kids are technologically plugged in and start hearing damage at an earlier age.” Even common sounds like lawn mowers, snowmobiles, and motorcycles can harm hearing. 54
AreaWoman.com
Signs of hearing loss include talking loudly, ignoring behavior, misunderstanding directions, or increasing the volume of electronic devices. “A good rule of thumb is that if you can hear your child’s iPod from two feet away, it’s too loud,” Bolda said. “Or, if you talk in a normal voice and your child can’t hear you from two feet away, it might be time to have your child’s hearing checked.” Hearing loss can cause problems at school, work, and set the stage for issues later in life. Hearing loss is permanent, irreversible, untreatable, and expensive. Hearing aids cost $2,000 to $5,000 and last only three to five years. While hearing loss is progressive, it is also preventable. Bolda says if you remove noise exposure, you can stop further damage, thereby reducing the need for a hearing aid later in life.