An estimated 50% of people 75 or older have some form of hearing loss and that’s why most people think of it as a problem for older people. But research demonstrates that younger individuals are at risk for hearing loss – and, alarmingly, they’re losing their hearing in spite of the fact that it’s totally avoidable.
In fact, 34% of the 479 freshmen who were studied across 4 high schools demonstrated signs of hearing loss. What could be causing this? The thought is that mobile devices with earbuds connected are contributing to the problem. And younger people aren’t the only ones at risk.
Why do people under 60 experience hearing loss?
If other people can hear your music, it’s too loud and that’s a basic rule for teenagers and everybody. If you listen to sounds louder than 85dB (about the volume of a vacuum cleaner) for extended periods of time, your hearing can be damaged. The majority of mobile devices can go well above 105dB. Used in this way, 4 minutes is enough to cause damage.
It may seem as if everybody would know this but teenagers frequently have their headphones in for hours at a time. They’re playing games, watching videos, or listening to music during this time. And if the latest research is to be accepted, this time will only increase over the next several years. Research shows that smartphones and other screens stimulate dopamine production in younger kids’ brains, which is the same reaction caused by addictive drugs. It will become harder and harder to get screens away from kids, and their hearing could suffer because of it.
Young people are at risk of hearing loss
Obviously, hearing loss creates several difficulties for anyone, regardless of age. For younger people though, after school activities, sports, and job possibilities create additional difficulties. Hearing loss at a young age leads to issues with paying attention and understanding concepts during class, which puts the student at a disadvantage. It also makes playing sports much harder, since so much of sports requires listening to coaches and teammates giving instructions and calling plays. Young adults and teenagers entering the workforce can encounter unnecessary obstacles due to hearing loss.
Hearing loss can also lead to social issues. Kids often develop emotional and social issues which can require therapy if they have hearing loss. Individuals who cope with hearing loss often feel isolated and experience mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Managing hearing loss often needs to go hand-in-hand with mental health treatment, especially during the important developmental stages experienced by kids and teenagers.
Preventing hearing loss when you’re young
Using earbuds or headphones for no more than 60 minutes a day and at a volume 60% of max or less (the 60/60 rule) is the first rule to observe. If your kids listen to headphones at 60% and you can still hear them while sitting near them, you should have them lower the volume until you can no longer hear it.
You may also want to ditch the earbuds and opt for the older style over-the-ear headphones. Earbuds put directly into the ear can actually produce 6 to 9 extra decibels when compared to traditional headphones.
In general, though, do what you can to reduce your child’s exposure to loud sounds throughout the day. Try to make their home time free of headphone use because you can’t control what they are doing when they’re not home. And you need to get a hearing examination for your child if you believe they might already be suffering from hearing loss.
References
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing
https://newsie.co.nz/news/163631-deaf-foundation-blames-earbuds-phones-teens-hearing-loss.html
https://time.com/4989275/young-children-tablets-mobile-devices/
https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52500-Hearing-loss-among-kids-and-teens
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blogs/protecting-your-hearing-means-protecting-your-mental-health
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/earbuds.html