Most teenagers are not concerned about their hearing; however, they should be. Recently, the rate of hearing loss in young adults has gone up. Approximately 20% of teens suffer from hearing loss to some extent. Although in most cases the hearing impairment is not severe, this can still have a strong effect on the language and learning development.
There are several factors that contribute to hearing loss in teens. One of these factors can be the constant use of earbuds and headphones with a high volume. Loud noises at nightclubs, bars, sporting events, and movie theatres can also contribute to hearing impairment. There are several places with music at dangerous sound levels.
There are some pointers for teenagers to prevent hearing impairment:
- Listen to music at a safe level.
- Use sound isolating earphones or custom ear buds.
- Limit going to places with loud sound levels.
It is possible to prevent noise-induced hearing loss; therefore, educating teens and young adults on hearing loss prevention and how to take the proper precautions is important. Teens should also get Baseline hearing test in order to monitor their hearing and check for any hearing impairments. If you have any questions or concerns on hearing loss prevention or if you are interested in getting your teenagers hearing tested, feel free to contact us at Krista Szalc Audiology, PLLC to speak to one of our audiologists.