Infants and Early Hearing Loss

29Jun09 Infants and Early Hearing Loss

Study after study confirms what you most likely already knew: that the majority of hearing loss that affects us throughout our lives occurs in our youth. While the actual age cutoff varies based on which study you’re looking at, research seems to concur that about two-thirds of Americans suffer some level of permanent hearing loss before the age of 25. While we may not notice that degree of hearing loss initially, the aging process and associated health conditions may make the level of hearing loss more acute.

Some studies are showing that hearing loss begins with infants. The majority of infants are born with hearing that is unaffected by sound levels and other issues that can cause hearing loss. In other words, they start life with a “perfect 10″ in terms of hearing. Then, the world around them can quickly begin to affect their hearing. Why?

Because so many adults have some level of hearing loss, they already have the volume cranked up at a level that accommodates their affected hearing. Once a baby arrives, parents may unwittingly expose their infant to higher sound decibels than their sensitive ears should be exposed to. Common culprits where the volume is set too high for a child’s hearing include the radio in the car and the television in the home.

Toy manufacturers have literally tuned-in to infant toys that produce sounds, and increasingly are created a maximum volume level so that they can’t be turned up too high and potentially harm an infant’s hearing. That’s because many products with sounds are cradled by children, and are often snuggled right up next to the ear. Keeping the volume low achieves the desired comforting sound without hurting the ears.

But when you see infants and small children brought to loud-noise events such as concerts and professional sport events, complete with blaring music, extended crowd cheers, and even horns and similar sound machines, it should come as no surprise that their hearing can be adversely affected. After all, if your ears are ringing after such an event, just imagine the affect on a child and their hearing health. A safer alternative is for both adults and children to wearing hearing protection, such as ear plugs, when at events that could damage hearing either temporarily or permanently.