This number has grown in recent years due to the rise in popularity of gadgets such as iPods and other MP3 players and the effects of high levels of noise in clubs and music venues.
But there also seems to be a lack of awareness among young people about the dangers of noise pollution and something urgently needs to be done about that. The warning signs have been there for quite some time.
In 2002 a number of children were questioned about noise and the effect it can have on health. The group rated other health issues as bigger problems than hearing loss including sexually transmitted disease, drug and alcohol use, depression and even acne. But when the teenagers were interviewed again five years later, the researchers found that nearly half of respondents had experienced some form of ear problems with 77% complaining of tinnitus and 40% of trouble hearing and ear pain.
It is not news to anybody that adolescents underestimate their own vulnerability. But what this study shows, especially linked to the latest data, is that still more needs to be done to better educate young people on the health dangers of elevated sound.
Currently the UK curriculum teaches children about sound as part of its science plan for pupils age five to six. They learn about decibels, types of sound and sound waves. The problem is that none of this is revisited as the child grows up or expanded upon to include more information on noise-induced hearing loss or the preventative measures that can be used to shield ears. In terms of education on this issue, a lot is left to parents. So what can you do to better protect your child's hearing?
At Echo Barrier we are experts on noise pollution and the best ways to tackle the issue. So we have come up with some helpful information to help. First, make sure you – and they - understand noise levels. Secondly teach them how to avoid exposure from loud noises and how to arm themselves against it in the event that they can’t. Sound is measured in decibels (dB), and an increase or decrease of 10dB represents a doubling or halving of the perceived loudness.
That means 80dB sounds twice as loud as 70dB. An average conversation ranges from 40-60dB, but sound levels in a noisy restaurant or busy street can peak at 80-90dB, and nightclubs, rock venues and even classical concerts regularly register 100dB - equivalent to a pneumatic drill at 12 feet. Whilst listening to sounds at 80dB or less, even for prolonged periods, is not considered to be a risk to hearing, prolonged and repeated exposure (8 hours a day, around 40 hours a week) to noise levels above 85dB can cause permanent damage to the ear.
Above 85dBit is the total amount of sound energy entering the ear per day that determines the risk. Doubling the noise energy (a 3dB increase in noise level represents a doubling of the noise energy) doubles this risk – but this increase in level sounds only very marginally louder. It doesn’t sound dangerous. The consequences at higher noise levels are serious. In a nightclub at 105dB you would pick up the equivalent of 85dB continuously for 8 hours in only 5 minutes and the dose for a whole week in only 24 minutes…
Some children's toys register astonishingly high noise levels - from 97 dB for a talking soft toy, to almost 110dB for a teething rattle and an ear-splitting 150dB peak close to a cap gun. Personal stereos are an additional threat. Some parents choose to put noise-level controls on devices that their children use and some companies are doing their best to help with this.
In fact, as a result of a 2006 lawsuit, Apple placed parental controls on iPod models, allowing caregivers to set maximum volumes. And in France, legislators have imposed a maximum volume of 100 db on all MP3 players sold in the country, and clubs and discos are required to sell earplugs.
In the US, The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) is going one step further in helping parents better educate their kids. They have sponsored a nationwide campaign - It’s a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing - designed to increase awareness among parents of children ages eight to 12 about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.
With this information, it is hoped children will learn to adopt healthy hearing habits before and during the time that they develop listening, leisure, and working habits.
We have tried to do this in the UK too but perhaps it is something we need to revisit and put a bit more effort into. After all, the real aim here should be to make all young people protect their ears as normal routine and practice - in the same way that they might apply sunscreen or wear a seat belt.