Noise is destructive. It is everywhere: at home, in the car and on the job. Louder stereo systems, bigger sound systems in theatres and in family rooms, noisier power tools, computer headsets and CD/MP3 earphones that drive loud music directly into the ear and even noisy toys for babies. The damage it causes is cumulative, permanent and totally preventable.

Our hearing, and our children's hearing, is suffering. One out of every eight children in the U.S. between the ages of 6 and 19 has a noise-related hearing problem.

In Canada, hearing loss is cited as the third most common chronic disability affecting one person in ten.

Studies show that even a mild hearing loss can have a devastating impact on a child's ability to learn and to as well as on their psychosocial development and their sense of connectedness to their community. A recent study showed that children with minimal sensorineural hearing loss scored significantly lower on tests, exhibited more behavioural problems and had lower self-esteem. Thirty-seven percent of children in the study failed at least one grade, compared to an average of 8% or less for those with normal hearing.

Data from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics indicates that noise is the fastest growing cause of people losing their hearing. Noise was indicated as the cause in 33.7% of the cases in a 1994 survey. A 1998 study in British Columbia found that almost 30% of young adults entering the workforce have already suffered some hearing damage due to noise.

Experts are calling for an effective education and prevention program for school children. The Hearing Foundation of Canada is committed to providing the resources to ensure that this vital information can reach pre-teens. Together we can teach our children Sound Sense and help to preserve their hearing.

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Research on noise

What are the warning signs of noise explosure