The following post addresses a concern I’ve had ever since Nathaniel got his first iPod. He wears his earbuds so frequently you would think he was born with them. I shared this post with Nathaniel and it seems like the 60/60 rule got his attention.
Your teenager is most likely to be seen with the ever-present white or colored earbuds or over-the-ear headphones attached to their head, blasting the latest beats at a volume that makes you cringe from three feet away.
Unfortunately, what your teen may not realize is listening to music in headphones at a loud volume and for an extended amount of time can damage their future hearing ability.
The Health Aspects
While 81% of teens listen to music with earphones, only 8% of them believe hearing loss is a major health concern.
Some experts attribute this to the increased use of headphones by teens. This hypothesis is supported by the fact nearly half of all teens show potential signs of hearing loss such as occasional ringing, roaring, buzzing or pain in their ears. One in six teens report they experience symptoms often or all of the time.
Excessively loud noise causes hearing loss by killing the hair cells in the inner ear. When enough of the hair cells die, we experience hearing loss, which can happen due to prolonged exposure to loud noises or even instantaneously if a noise is loud enough.
What many teenagers don’t realize is we only have a set number of these hair cells, and they don’t grow back. While listening to loud music may not seem to have consequences right now, as they age they may experience hearing loss caused by activities that took place when they were teenagers.
Hearing Loss Threshold
What’s the threshold for hearing loss? 85 decibels.
Other variables include a person’s distance from the noise and the length of time of exposure. Some examples of noises that are 85 decibels or higher include heavy city traffic, motorcycle engines, sirens, fireworks – and yes a MP3 player played at maximum volume.
In fact, teenagers and parents alike may also be surprised to know that at full volume, MP3 players and other digital music devices can produce as much noise as a live rock concert.
Earbuds vs. Headphones
Teens may be more likely to turn their headphones up if they encounter ambient noise such as buses, crowd or street noise; however, doctors suggest you should be able to hear someone speak at a conversational level from three feet away while listening to headphones.
If you can’t hear the conversation, your headphones are too loud. At very high volumes, hearing loss can occur in as little as eight minutes.
Since they’re worn directly in the ear canal, they have the potential to produce seven to nine decibels higher sound. Earbuds also filter less ambient noise, which often causes listeners to turn the volume up.
What The Doctor Says
Doctors recommend noise cancelling over-the-ear headphones which limit environmental noise and allow you to listen at a lower volume. Teens can also download apps to prevent the volume from exceeding a preset decibel level.
Want an easy to remember rule you should suggest to your teenagers?
By following the 60/60 rule, ears get a rest that allows them to recovery, leading to less damage. Impress upon your teen the importance of avoiding hearing damage while their young so they maintain strong, clear hearing throughout their lives.
Get more suggestions on preparing your teen to be a healthy adult by clicking here.
