While aging has been identified as one of the leading causes of hearing loss, cases of this condition have been reported in children. To avoid further hearing problems, such as deafness, it is crucial to prevent hearing loss in children as early as possible.
Extremely loud noise ranks first in the most common causes of hearing loss in children. Loud noises can be classified as controllable and non-controllable, and it is essential to be able to recognize which ones your child may be exposed to in order to know the necessary steps to take. Both of these are equally capable of causing temporary or permanent harm to the hair cells in the cochlea of the ears.
Precautions
One must keep children away from direct or prolonged exposure to loud noises that may be produced by certain appliances and vehicles. For example, the volume of the TV and the radio must be kept to a minimum.
With so many young children using computer games and listening to music, which may adversely affect their sense of hearing, it’s imperative to provide them with correct and valuable information about how to prevent hearing loss. Proper education on the value of our sense of hearing and the dangers of hearing loss should be communicated to children. They should be given the tools to be responsible for taking care of their hearing.
Be Careful With Loud Music
Listening to loud music through headphones, even for a period as short as 10 minutes, could be detrimental to the ears. This is like voluntarily subjecting your ears to potential deafness. Turning the volume up no more than 60% of the maximum volume level is advised. You may also set your own rules on safe listening, so that your children can follow your example.
They should also have access to ear plugs and other forms of ear protection, which they can use when they are exposed to loud noises. Aside from supplying them with the devices to protect their ears from any form of damage, you should also make sure that they know how to use them correctly and that they are actually using them regularly.
Observe Speech Pattern
Observing your child’s speech patterns while they are young can provide you with the necessary tools to stop hearing loss as early as possible, because difficulty in hearing could lead to difficulty in speech. In school, children with hearing problems may not be able to understand the discussion, and this could affect their self-esteem. As soon as the signs of hearing loss show, the child should be brought to a medical specialist. Keep in mind that early detection of these signs is critical to preventing hearing loss for your child.
Going through life without the sense of hearing may prove to be very challenging. It is, thus, of the utmost importance to detect any hearing problems in children as early as possible, and adopt the above mentioned methods to prevent hearing loss in your children without delay.
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Will headphones damage my hearing? URL link. Accessed November 2017.
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