The Talon
Ferguson teens may be at risk for slight hearing lossThursday, September 02, 2010 By Emily Nieves
One in five teens has slight hearing loss, according to a recent study by the American Medical Association in Chicago. In the study, statistics show that 15% of teens in 1994 had some form of slight hearing loss. A study conducted from 2005 to 2006 shows that the percentage of teens affected rose to 19.5%. Although the American Medical Association has not disclosed what is at fault for the increase, many experts and teens believe that technology may be to blame. "Hearing loss has probably risen due to the head phones used often to listen to music, in MP3 players, iPods and Zunes," sophomore Joshua Villorin said. And he's right. According to The Huffington Post , experts are suggesting that teens playing loud music through ear-bud style headphones may be the problem. Many teens in Ferguson use iPods on a daily basis, and some even blast their music to ear-splitting volumes. The study suggests that some teens may be listening to their music at decibels as high as 85 decibels or higher -- as loud as a vacuum cleaner. "I think that what is causing this is the loud music while listening to your iPod," another sophomore, Andrea Moreno, said. Bottom line: Ferguson students, beware and be aware -- your iPods could be costing you your hearing. |