Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Kids Is a Growing Problem. Here’s How to Protect Little Ears.

It’s easy to shrug off hearing loss as an unfortunate part of getting older, but that doesn’t have to be true. Experts increasingly believe that some progressive hearing decline is due to extended exposure to loud sounds, and that exposure seems to be starting at even younger ages. The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated in 2001 that about 12.5% of US children ages 6 to 19 already had some degree of noise-induced hearing loss. That’s a lot of kids. The good news is, this type of hearing loss is usually preventable.

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