Kids and noise-induced hearing loss

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- It's a noisy world we live in, and increasingly, kids are feeling the affects of it.

Dessy Bell is the high tech member of the Audiology Department at Connecticut Children's Medical Center.
 
She can not talk, but hook up a personal listening device and she'll tell you how loud it's playing.

"An iPod on average, if it's at full volume, is about at 100 decibels."

"At a 100 decibels, it really shouldn't be played for more than 15 minutes at a time, so for a child who is listening to their iPod two to three hours a day at full volume, they are certainly creating hearing loss," said Michelle Colburn, CT Children's Medical Center.

Michelle Colburn is an audiologist.

"It comes down to the level of the sound, the volume of the sound and the length of the time you are listening to it for," Colburn said.

"We are seeing an increase in noise induced hearing loss in children," said Dr. Christopher Grindle, CT Children's Medical Center.

That's due to, in part, to improved technology to detect it, says Hearing Specialist Dr. Christopher Grindle, and the loud world in which we live.

"There are lots of toys out there that make a very loud sound," said Dr. Grindle. "And if to you it sounds uncomfortable, it sounds loud to your child as well."

Davis LaPointe plays the drums.

"I'm hearing some ringing in my ears after I play or practice," said LaPointe, patient.

So the teenager is in getting his hearing tested.

"Sometimes it just comes for a few seconds and then goes, it's kinda off and on," LaPointe said.

The results are good, no damage done. However, he's not taking chances.

"It's good to hear," LaPointe said. "I'm definitely going to use ear plugs though, when I can." 

Good to hear, with this warning.

"That may be a temporary change in hearing," said Dr. Grindle, "but if you do that enough then you're going to cause some permanent hearing damage."

Dr. Grindle tells News 8 ear plugs now or hearing aids later.
 
Newborns are routinely screened in our state, but testing in middle school and high school is sporadic. Dr. Grindle says ringing or fullness in ears are signs to get it checked out.
 
To help prevent hearing loss, he recommends setting personal listening devices at 6 or at two thirds of the volume level.