Transcript Teenagers and Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Teens and Noise
Exposure
Carol Rousseau, Au.D., CCC-A
Rochester Hearing and Speech Center
21 May 2010
Purpose of Presentation
 Rationale: the beginnings of Noise
Induced Hearing loss often start when
teenagers become exposed to more
adult activities or enter the work force.
 Discuss typical venues and activities
where teenagers are exposed to
potentially damaging noise and how
audiologists can address this issue.
Topics to be Discussed
 Is there a concern?
 Age/Population
 Prevalence of NIHL
 Effects of NIHL
 Common noise sources
 Prevention of hearing loss
Is Noise Exposure in Teens
a Concern?
 Parents are concerned about the
damage that noise is causing to their
kids’ ears

More than ear infections, sleep & Asthma
 Risk of NIHL greater for youth engaged
in farming, utilizing firearms, playing with
hazardous toys or fireworks, listening to
amplified music, or involved in school
woodwork or band
Is Noise Exposure in Teens
a Concern?
 Adolescence is the time when
occupational noise exposure potentially
begins
 More than half of high school students
surveyed report at least one symptom of
hearing loss (ASHA & Zogby, 2010)
 Thanks to technological advances, teens
becoming more involved in noisier
activities for longer periods
Population:
what age group are we
discussing?
 Cited research includes ages 6-25
 Studies conducted in US and Western
Europe
Prevalence
 Relatively large numbers of school boys failed
their hearing screenings at 4000 Hz (Weber et
al, 1967; Cozadetal et al, 1974; & Hull et
al,1975)
 1% of school age population has some degree
of NIHL (Blair et al, 1996).
 Prevalence of a high frequency hearing loss in
school age children was 12.7% (Niskar et
al,1998)
 12.5% of 6-19 year olds had a prevalence of
Noise Induced threshold shifts (Niskar et al
2001)
The Effects of Hearing Loss
 Language/Speech
 Stress
 Academic Achievement
 Social Effects


Isolation
Depression
Effects of NIHL
 Tinnitus




Correlation with excessive noise exposure
61% of concert attendees and 46% of club
goers experienced tinnitus after attending
event (Chung, 2005)
86% of musicians and concert goers
suffered tinnitus after attending loud music
venues (H.E.A.R.)
Questionnaire by Mercier & Hohman
(2002), 71% reported experiencing postexposure tinnitus for at least one day
Effects of NIHL
 Temporary threshold shift (TTS)




Can lead to cumulative cellular damage
Early indicator of hearing loss
TTS of > 10 dB was seen after listening to
music through headphones for 3 hours at
normal used input levels (Lee et al, 1985)
A 9 dB TTS was observed at 6000 Hz
when teens listened to music at their
habitual listening level after one hour
(Hellstrom & Axelsson, 1998)
Effects of NIHL
 Temporary threshold shift (TTS)

Babisch et al (1985) found TTS values of 8
dB after two hours of music exposure at 85
dB
Effects of NIHL
 Permanent threshold shift (PTS)




Occurs at 3000 to 6000 Hz, with largest
effect at 4000 Hz
Over time, can effect as low as 2000 Hz
Meyer & Bisch (1996) found PTS between
3000 and 6000 Hz in young adults
Significant increase between 1976 and
1991 in the number of adolescents with
>20 dB losses between 3000 and 6000 Hz
(Kiderport, 1992)
Effects of NIHL
 Permanent threshold shift (PTS)

30% of young military recruits had
unilateral or bilateral hearing loss of > 20
dB in frequencies between 3000 and 8000
Hz (Borchgrevink, 1988 & 1993).
Effects of NIHL
 Negative consequences for future
employment

Some jobs require minimum hearing levels
 Police,

Pilots, Trucking, Bus Diver
Some jobs it will limit effectiveness
 Musicians,
Sound Engineers, Phone Work
 Damage from chronic exposure to high
sound levels is cumulative so the slight
loss in childhood can lead to a
substantial loss in adulthood
Sources of Excessive Noise
 Environmental

Traffic
 Recreational Toys


November 2003: declared acoustic
standards of 90 dB measured at 25 cm
Video games, firearms, paint ball, vehicles
(ATV, Jet skis, etc)
Sources of Excessive Noise
 Amplified music



MP3
 Output up to 120
dB
 Listening for long
periods
Concerts
 Can be 120 to 130
dB
Garage Bands
Sources of Excessive Noise
 School

Band
 82

to 114 dB
Gym
 Loud
sports
 Hockey play-off games measured between
104 and 120 dB (Hodgetts et al, 2006)
 Coaches whistle up to 115 dB

Woodshop
 Up
to 115 dB
Sources of Excessive Noise
 Work Force


12.4% of students confirmed work-place
noise exposure (Lankford et al, 1991)
Mowing lawns
 Up

Farming
 Up

to 105 dB
to 100 dB
Construction
Prevention
 Education




Explain the auditory mechanism
Those who received instruction were more
likely to use hearing protection
Musicians who are role models
Teachers/school administrators need to
implement hearing conservation programs
Prevention
 Screenings


Frequencies 3000 Hz and higher
Currently implemented school-based
screening guidelines are non-standardized
and inadequate for early identification of
NIHL (Meinke & Dice, 2007)
Prevention
 Protection




HPDs
Parental controls on MP3 players
Increase distance from sound source
Regulations
 Noise
ordinances
 Require HPDs for noisy classroom activities
 Limit construction during school hours