Hearing loss spikes in teenage girls: U.S. study

Hearing loss spikes in teenage girls: U.S. study

Study found dramatic increase in hearing loss among teen girls who used IPod, mp3 player and cell phones.

Recent research studies on listening problems have been occurring with teenagers who use frequently iPod, mp3 players and constant user of cell phones. The result of this research was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health (online edition of the 31 August, 2010).

Researchers in New York examined the ears of 8,710 teenage girls who lived in a foster care facility between 1985 and 2008. These young women were from homes and neighborhoods "stressed by poverty, substance abuse, and violence," according to a study published online edition in theJournal.

At the beginning of the study, 10.1% of the girls were diagnosed with high-frequency hearing loss. 24 years later, that figure had nearly doubled to 19.2%, the researchers found.

In 2001, researchers began asking the teens about their use of personal listening devices. In that year, 18% said they listened to music through headsets; by 2008 that figure had extended to 76%.

The number of girls who listened for more than 3 hours per day tripled during that period, according to the study. Nearly 24% of those who spent a significant chunk of their day with ear buds in their ears were diagnosed with high-frequency hearing loss, and almost 20% wound up with tinnitus, or "ringing in the ear."

The overall prevalence of tinnitus rose from 4.6% in 2001 to 10.6% in 2008. Of the 286 girls who reported having tinnitus, 285 used personal listening devices, the study found.

This degree of hearing loss is not trivial, the authors warned. "It is well documented that even minimal hearing loss poses academic risk for school-age children," they wrote in the study.

Earlier this month, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Asson. found that 19.5% of all American teens have suffered at least slight hearing loss. Dr.Thomas H.Maugh reported,one of researchers are justifiably concerned:

"Just because a hearing loss is slight does not mean it is insignificant, particularly when it is in the high frequencies," said Dr. Alison Grimes, manager of the audiology clinic at Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center.

In English, soft high-frequency sounds such as "s," "f," "th" and "sh" "carry a great deal of meaning, and are very important sounds to be able to discern," Grimes said. But those are the first to be lost, especially in a noisy environment like a classroom. "We know children have more difficulty learning and keeping up academically" when they can't hear well, she added.

Hearing loss can also affect social lives: The teens may miss parts of conversations and punch lines or may have to keep asking others to repeat things. "It may seem like they are not in touch, and kids are very aware when someone is a little different," said Dr. Gary C. Curhan of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, a coauthor of the report.

Girls who listened to personal music devices were 80 percent more likely to have impaired hearing than those who didn't use the devices, the study authors reported. Of the teens with tinnitus, 99.7 percent used the devices.

However, while the findings show an association between personal music players and hearing problems, it doesn't show cause-and-effect, noted study author Abbey Berg, a professor in the biology and health sciences department at Pace University in New York City..

"You have to target them at a much younger age, when they are liable to be more receptive," she said.

But the study's findings don't necessarily mean there is a cause-and-effect link between listening to personal music players and hearing loss. Berg suspects personal listening devices play a role, but says other factors, such as poverty or substance abuse, might also contribute.

Hearing experts' advice people to listen to personal music players at a reasonable volume conversational or slightly louder without overworking the ear.

Most of this hearing loss was "slight," defined as inability to hear at 16 to 24 decibels sounds such as a whisper or rustling leaves.

In 2008, the Hearing Foundation of Canada said 30 per cent of 145 students surveyed listened at levels of 91 decibels or higher for an average of 2.9 hours a day. Long-term damage can occur from such exposure to sound, hearing experts say.

To protect your ears, Abbey recommends "Personal listening devices (PLDs; e.g., iPods, MP3 players) should be used for no more than 1 hour per day when using a supra-aural headphone at 60% maximum volume. If using an insert earphone, greater caution should be exercised as the sound pressure level is increased by 7-9 dB sound pressure level (SPL) compared to the supra-aural type earphone."

Hearing loss spikes in teenage girls: U.S. study

By: Alamgir Mohammad

POST COMMENT

Child Behaviour Problems - Changing Child Behaviour Real Organic Children's Clothes...Must Select The Best Resource To Help Your Child Read is Patience Opt For Quality And Value When Choosing Children's Quad Bikes Children's Quad Bikes For The Ultimate Childhood Drive Change Child Behaviour With Better Communication A Beginners Beneficial Essentials When Understanding Along With Participating Lots Of Children's Boa Tell Your Child That You Are Getting Divorced Dress Up Barbie With Your Kids College Financial Aid- Shape Your Childs Career UGG Footwear for Kids and Infants Anger Management for Children Is Active Play For Children Still Important?