Teens Risk Hearing Loss Due to Lack of Knowledge
For most teenagers, having good hearing is something they take for granted. Unfortunately, this all too often leads to them being careless with their hearing. Listening to loud music from their cell phones, going to clubs and concerts without ear protection—all of this can quickly lead to hearing damage caused by overexposure.
A hearing aid is something for Grandma and Grandpa—that’s a view shared by many young people. They’re healthy and fit and believe that hearing problems are a typical sign of aging. In fact, hearing ability gradually declines over the course of a person’s life.
Nevertheless, hearing problems can develop even at a young age due to overexposure to loud noise. That’s why teenagers are particularly at risk, as most of them are too careless with their hearing. On the train, in the schoolyard, at home, and at the bus stop, you see teenagers lost in their smartphones, listening to music with in-ear headphones. Because they sit so close to the eardrum, in-ear headphones put a relatively heavy strain on hearing. Since they don’t block out ambient noise very well, people tend to turn the volume up even higher than would be necessary with other types of headphones.
It is not just a matter of whether the ear has to endure a single, very loud noise. Even sound pressure levels as low as 85 dB—which correspond to the noise of a major thoroughfare—can cause lasting damage to hearing over time. In the workplace, therefore, wearing hearing protection is mandatory for jobs exposed to noise—a requirement that shows even this level of noise can be dangerous to hearing.
A particular problem is that undiagnosed hearing loss often leads to difficulties in school and during vocational training. Children and adolescents who don’t hear well can’t understand the teacher and have trouble following along in class. This often results not only in lower grades but can also lead to headaches and stress.
That’s why it’s important to visit an audiologist regularly, even at a young age. There, young people can have a hearing test and learn about hearing protection solutions. Special hearing aids for children, available in colorful designs, are also available to address hearing loss.
