|
|
|
The
demographics of hearing loss
Hearing
loss is more common than you might think. Interestingly, due to
recreational and environmental noise, hearing loss is occurring
at younger and younger ages. Consider the facts:
Demographics:
- 28 million
Americans are hearing impaired, and an estimated 500 million
experience hearing loss, worldwide
- In the
U.S., one out of 12 30-year-olds is already hearing-impaired
and one in 8 50-year-olds suffer from hearing loss
- After
President Bill Clinton was fitted for hearing aids, more than
1 million other baby boomers identified themselves as experiencing
hearing loss
- There
are more baby boomers aged 45-64 with a hearing loss (10 million)
than there are people over the age of 65 with a hearing loss
(9 million)
- More
than a third of all hearing loss is attributed to noise: loud
music, loud workplaces, loud recreational equipment
- Thanks
to the above, we’re all losing our hearing at a younger age
than we were 30 years ago
- Of the
10 million Americans aged 45 to 64 who have a hearing loss,
6 out of 7 do not yet benefit from wearing hearing aids
Hearing
loss facts:
- Hearing
loss is second only to arthritis as the most common complaint
of older adults
- Only
about 10% of hearing losses are helped by surgery or other
medical treatment
- 90%
of hearing losses can be treated with the use of hearing instruments
- Only
16% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss
- Noise
above 80-90 decibels on average over an 8-hour workday is
considered hazardous
- Firearms,
music, airplanes, lawnmowers, power tools and many appliances
are louder than 80 decibels and potentially hazardous to hearing
with prolonged exposure
- A live
rock concert produces sounds from 110 to 120 decibels—easily
high enough to cause permanent damage to hearing over a 2-
to 3-hour period
This
article courtesy of Starkey
|
|
Hearing
Care Tips for Children
Hearing aids may be damaged if exposed to extreme conditions,
severe blows, or general neglect. Follow these steps to ensure
a long lasting hearing aid.
Communicating
with a Hearing Loss
Communication is a vital part of living. In the process
of communicating we share information with other people by talking
and listening.
Hearing
Loss Indicators -
There are conditions which may occur before birth, during infancy
or in childhood that may affect a child's ability to hear normally.
|
|
