Review of Hearing Loss in Children

To the Editor The article by Dr Lieu and colleagues about hearing loss in children notably omitted the important topic of noise-induced hearing loss. Prevention of disease is almost always better and less expensive than treatment. The only treatment currently available for hearing loss is amplification, via hearing aids, personal sound amplification products, or cochlear implants. Hearing loss with age, which is predominantly due to noise-induced hearing loss, begins at an early age and is theoretically preventable with avoidance of loud noise. The only evidence-based noise exposure level to prevent noise-induced hearing loss is a time-weighted average of 70 dB for 24 hours. Impulse or intermittent noise exposure at greater sound level pressures may have adverse effects even when the hourly or daily average sound exposure is low. After only 1 hour of noise exposure at 85 A-weighted dB, it is impossible to achieve the 70-dB safe noise level for 1 day.
Source: JAMA - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research