An estimated 50% of people over the age of 75 have some form of hearing loss and that’s why most people consider it an issue for older people. But research reveals that younger individuals are at risk for hearing loss – and, alarmingly, they’re losing their hearing despite the fact that it’s entirely avoidable.
In fact, 34% of the 479 freshmen who were studied across 4 high schools demonstrated symptoms of hearing loss. The cause? The idea is that mobile devices with earbuds connected are contributing to the problem. And younger people are not the only ones at risk.
Why do people under 60 experience hearing loss?
There’s a simple rule relating to earbud volume for teenagers and everyone else – if somebody else can hear your music, then the volume is too high. Harm to your hearing can occur when you listen to sounds louder than 85 decibels – which is approximately the sound of a vacuum cleaner – for an extended period of time. A normal mobile device with the volume turned up to the max clocks in at about 106 decibels. Used in this way, 4 minutes is enough to cause injury.
It might seem like everyone would know this but teenagers often have their headphones in for hours at a time. During this time, they’re listening to music, playing games, and watching video. And if current research is to be believed, this time will only get longer over the next few years. The release of dopamine acts in a similar way to addictive drugs and research has demonstrated that smartphones and other screens can trigger dopamine release. Kids’ hearing will suffer as it becomes harder to get them to put down their devices.
Young people are at risk of hearing loss
Obviously, hearing loss presents numerous obstacles for anyone, regardless of age. Younger individuals, however, face added problems with regards to academics, after-school activities, and even job possibilities. Students with hearing loss face an especially difficult time hearing and comprehending concepts. It also makes playing sports much harder, since so much of sports involves listening to coaches and teammates giving directions and calling plays. Young adults and teenagers joining the workforce can experience unnecessary obstacles caused by hearing loss.
Hearing loss can also result in social issues. Kids often develop emotional and social problems which can require therapy if they have hearing loss. Individuals who cope with hearing loss frequently feel isolated and experience mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Mental health treatment and hearing loss management frequently go together and this is particularly true with kids and teenagers in their early developmental years.
Preventing hearing loss when you’re young
The first rule to observe is the 60/60 rule – devices and earbuds should only be used for 60 minutes a day at 60% or less of the highest volume. If your kids listen to headphones at 60% and you can still hear them while sitting near them, you should tell them to lower the volume until you can no longer hear it.
You may also want to ditch the earbuds and go with the older style over-the-ear headphones. Earbuds placed directly into the ear can actually generate 6 to 9 extra decibels compared to traditional headphones.
Generally, though, do what you can to limit your child’s exposure to loud sounds throughout the day. You can’t regulate everything they do during school or on the bus, so try to make the time they’re at home headphone-free. And you need to get a hearing exam for your child if you think they may already be suffering from hearing loss.
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References
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing
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
