They’re called the iPod Generation — all those kids wired to earbuds and MP3 players this holiday season as they hunker down to endure long road trips or relatives that visit even longer. But they’re at risk of becoming the “Huh? What?” Generation.
You’ve heard of BlackBerry Thumb? Now there’s iPod Ear.
With the increasing popularity of MP3 players — and the loud, long listening habits of today’s youths — millions of children and teens are at a newfound risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Doctors around the country say they are seeing younger and younger patients with hearing-loss symptoms that typically don’t occur before middle age. Many of them blame constant use of iPods and other players that blare music directly into ears.
Similar concerns were raised with Sony’s Walkman in the 1980s, but the difference is that the latest portable stereos hold thousands of songs and have longer-lasting batteries. Because hearing damage is directly related to the duration of exposure — not just volume — one fear is that steady, long-term exposure to even moderately loud music could result in premature hearing loss.
“Once these things became portable and full-time usable, we really started noticing more noise-induced hearing-loss problems in younger children,” said Dr. Robert Fifer, director of Audiology and Speech Pathology at the University of Miami’s Mailman Center for Child Development. “We’re seeing the same kind of hearing loss we used to see in older people who worked in factories for years.”
Hearing specialists say the cases they are seeing might be only the beginning for this generation because accumulated noise damage can take years before it causes noticeable problems. Fifteen-year-olds who regularly crank the volume on their players might not experience noticeable problems until their mid to late 20s.
The research isn’t conclusive, but the warning signs are there:
The number of Americans…