Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Headphones ruin hearing of 9-yr-olds
1 in 7 kids suffer after high volume
CHILDREN are damaging their ears by listening to loud music through headphones, research suggests.
Scientists studied a sample of 3,316 children, aged nine to 11, over three years and found one in seven had suffered some form of hearing loss.
The problem appeared to be worst among the 831 who used portable music players, including smartphones and tablets.
Dr Carlijn le Clercq, of Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, said: “This hearing impairment is already present prior to exposure to known noise hazards, such as club and concert attendance, and may have lifelong consequences. Repeated measurements are needed to confirm the association of portable music player use with hearing impairment in children.” She said early education was needed on how to listen to music players responsibly. The study is believed to be the first time hearing loss has been linked to headphones in such a young age group. Charity Action on Hearing Loss has predicted a 40% rise in problems by 2035. Nurseries are being urged to ensure three and four-yearolds get eye tests after a study found one in eight could have sight conditions that harm their learning. KIM Kardashian is hugged by the grandma she asked Donald Trump to free from jail.
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