Today is World Hearing Day, and this year’s theme is “to hear for life, listen with care.” Our expert team of Pediatric Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, and Melinda Webb School teachers believe in promoting good hearing health 365 days a year.
Over the course of our lifetime, we expose our ears to sounds and noises that cause irreparable damage to our hearing. This type of hearing loss is called noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and can affect people of all ages, not just children. This loudness of sound is measured in decibels (dB) and is often visually represented on an audiogram. NIHL is typically the result of prolonged exposure to any loud sound over 85 dB. The louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time it takes for NIHL to develop.
At Texas Hearing Institute, we are dedicated to helping families stay informed about how to mitigate hearing loss throughout their lifetime. There are several ways you can maintain lifelong hearing health and prevent hearing loss.
One easy step you can take to prevent hearing loss is turning down the volume. Try not to set your device’s volume higher than 60% as louder listening volumes over time can cause hearing loss.
Also, protect your ears from loud sounds by wearing earplugs or moving away from noisy places. Try to limit the amount of time you spend engaged with loud noises. If you are in a loud and noisy environment for an extended period, take a break and move to a quiet area. You will prolong your hearing health by limiting how long you spend engaged in activities such as listening to music and watching the television.
Regular hearing check-ups with your doctor to monitor your hearing health and detect any early-onset hearing loss also helps prevent hearing loss.
Texas Hearing Institute’s Early Identification and Intervention Program helps diagnose children with hearing loss, and provides resources that will mitigate it. In addition, Texas Hearing Institute offers free hearing screenings in Title 1 schools, and similar programs that serve children from low socioeconomic status households in the greater Houston area. Our Pediatric Audiologists and licensed hearing screeners complete and monitor the screening and provide same-day results to families. The process is quick and easy! To book an appointment or request a hearing screening for your school, click here.
Remember, to hear for life, you must listen with care!
