Does your teenager have earphones attached to his ears?  Do you feel like they aren’t hearing you? It may be more than just typical kid behavior. Hearing plays an essential role in communication, speech and language development and learning.  Even a small amount of hearing loss can have profound, negative effects on speech, language comprehension, communication, classroom learning and social development.  Studies indicate that without proper intervention, children with mild to moderate hearing loss, on average, do not perform as well in school as children with no hearing loss.  This gap in academic achievement widens as children progress through school.

An estimated 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6-19 years (approximately 5.2 million) have suffered permanent hearing damage to their ears from excessive exposure to noise.
 Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is preventable.  Learn about the causes and prevention of NIHL so that your child—and you—can have healthy hearing for life.

Hearing consists of a complex series of steps involving our ears and our brain.  Loud noises can damage small sensory cells in our inner ear, causing hearing loss.  This type of hearing loss cannot be medically or surgically corrected.  Noise-induced hearing loss can result from one-time exposure to a very loud sound, blast, or impulse or from listening to loud sounds over an extended period of time. Noise levels are measured in decibels (dB).  The higher the decibel number, the louder the noise.  Sounds that are louder than 85dB can cause permanent hearing loss.  The chart below lists average decibel levels for everyday sounds around you.

Faint
30 dB = whisper, quiet library
Moderate
60 dB = typical conversation, dishwasher, clothes dryer
50 dB = moderate rainfall
40 dB = quiet room
Very Loud
80–90 dB = blow-dryer, kitchen blender, food processor
70 dB = busy traffic, vacuum cleaner, alarm clock
Extremely Loud
110 dB = maximum output of some MP3 players, model airplane, chain saw
106 dB = gas lawn mower,
100 dB = hand drill, pneumatic drill
90 dB = passing motorcycle
Painful
150 dB = fireworks at 3 feet
140 dB = firearms, jet engine
130 dB = jackhammer
120 dB = jet plane takeoff, siren

Signs of listening at dangerous noise levels:

• You must raise your voice to be heard.
• You can’t hear someone 3 feet away from you.
• Speech around you sounds muffled or dull after you leave the noisy area.
• You have pain or ringing in your ears after exposure to noise.

You can protect your hearing.  First, wear hearing protection (cotton in the ears will not work) and learn how to insert them properly.  Second, do not listen to loud sounds for too long.  Third, lower the volume of the sound.  Lastly, be a good consumer.  Look for noise ratings on appliances, sporting equipment, power tools, and hair dryers.  Purchase quieter products.  This is especially important when purchasing toys for children.

It is important to note that your ears don’t get used to noise.  Don’t be fooled by thinking that your ears are tough or that you can “tune it out!” Noise induced hearing loss is usually gradual and painless but, unfortunately, permanent.  If you think you have “gotten used to” the noise you routinely encounter, you may already have some hearing damage.

Hannibal Regional Medical Group is holding free hearing screenings October 25, 2011 from 2-4pm in Express Care located inside Hannibal Regional Medical Building and November 3 from Noon - 4pm at Express Care located inside Hannibal Walmart.  For more information, call 573-629-3500.