Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Technology poised to create a deaf generation
Knight Ridder ^ | March 2, 2006

Posted on 03/02/2006 11:17:16 AM PST by formercalifornian

Hear that silence? It’s the sound of America going deaf from an earful of technology.

What’s that, you say?

Popular technology — not just the iPod — threatens everyone’s hearing, especially children and teenagers, according to a new report by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

While much attention has focused on the iPod and other personal music players, the association randomly chose and tested nine devices that can be turned up to potentially damaging decibel levels.

Among those tested were Bluetooth headsets that allow wireless communication and laptop components that let travelers listen to private concerts while blocking out the roar of plane engines.

“All of the devices we tested can produce sound well above the maximum safety level of 85 decibels,” said ASHA spokeswoman Pam Mason.

A level of 85 decibels is about the loudness of a lawnmower. Many of the devices tested produced up to 120 decibels.

Particularly worrisome, the group said, is a new generation of music players marketed to children, such as the Bratz Liptunes MP3 player and the Disney Mix Stick. Chris Heatherly, a Disney spokesman, said Wednesday that their device complies with all safety requirements. He said the company could not comment on the study, which they had not yet reviewed. A 9-year-old third-grader at Woodland Elementary School in Kansas City said with a grin that he turns up the volume on his music player “so loud my parents can hear it and they say to turn it down.” Students in his class Wednesday were getting their annual hearing tests. Cynthia Fett, an audiologist for the Kansas City School District, asked how many of the 17 students regularly listened to music on personal players. Nine hands went up.

How many turn up the volume? Most hands remained in the air.

Kathy LeTourneau, another district audiologist, said that while it can take years for hearing loss to occur, if a child listens to music too loud for too long it can lead to “premature aging of their hearing.”

Audiologists are particularly concerned about the growing use of ear buds.

“With the ear buds, you can still hear some of the background noise, so people tend to turn the volume up even louder,” said Kristen Dawson, an audiologist at St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: deaf; deafness; hearing; ipods; technology
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last
Eh?
1 posted on 03/02/2006 11:17:18 AM PST by formercalifornian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

Common sense would solve the problem. I've been hearing about loud music ruining your hearing since I was a teenager many moons ago!


2 posted on 03/02/2006 11:18:22 AM PST by swmobuffalo (the only good terrorist is a dead one)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian
Many of the devices tested produced up to 120 decibels.

Slightly below the decibal level of the Zeppelin show I saw in '77...

3 posted on 03/02/2006 11:19:22 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

I want the Spinal Tap edition of the iPod. The volume goes to eleven.


4 posted on 03/02/2006 11:19:31 AM PST by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

I'm afraid this message will fall on deaf ears.

I just don't believe people are ready to hear something like this.



5 posted on 03/02/2006 11:19:54 AM PST by PetroniusMaximus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

They told us we'd go blind.


6 posted on 03/02/2006 11:21:55 AM PST by Spok (Est omnis de civilitate.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian
A level of 85 decibels is about the loudness of a lawnmower. Many of the devices tested produced up to 120 decibels.

Do they have volume controls?

7 posted on 03/02/2006 11:22:25 AM PST by ScreamingFist (Annihilation - The result of underestimating your enemies. NRA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: swmobuffalo
I've been hearing about loud music ruining your hearing since I was a teenager


8 posted on 03/02/2006 11:22:40 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Yo-Yo

Would be nice to have a tunable machine gun, so one could shoot a melody. That could get to 150db level.


9 posted on 03/02/2006 11:24:01 AM PST by GSlob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Mojo
Slightly below the decibal level of the Zeppelin show I saw in '77...

LOL. My first thought. I believe Man-O-War still holds the record for loudest concert ever......about the equivalent of sticking your head in a running jet engine.

10 posted on 03/02/2006 11:25:06 AM PST by ScreamingFist (Annihilation - The result of underestimating your enemies. NRA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

In the casset walkman it were the high pitch background noise of the tape which prevented me from using it. New devices do not have that.

To say technology is making us deaf is the dumbest thing ever.

Do they want us to die of cancer going back to galene radios & smoke signals?


11 posted on 03/02/2006 11:26:47 AM PST by JudgemAll (Condemn me, make me naked and kill me, or be silent for ever on my gun ownership and law enforcement)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Mojo
Slightly below the decibal level of the Zeppelin show I saw in '77...

Saw the Nuge in 78 - also known as "The Beast From 20,000 Decibels". It was a free for all!

12 posted on 03/02/2006 11:29:57 AM PST by 70times7 (An open mind is a cesspool of thought)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

There is nothing here that wasn't true 25 years ago and ever since with the Walkman.

Some people just seem to need to get their names in the paper.


13 posted on 03/02/2006 11:30:07 AM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Your FRiendly FReeper Patent Attorney)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

Yeah, they said the same thing would happen when I used to crank up Headbanger's Ball as a kid...

Wait, what did you say? Huh??


14 posted on 03/02/2006 11:31:25 AM PST by RockinRight (Attention RNC...we're the party of Reagan, not FDR...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian
This isn't new.

Obviously, these folks have never stood next to a stack of Marshall's at an AC/DC concert.

15 posted on 03/02/2006 11:32:18 AM PST by xsrdx (Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ScreamingFist

16 posted on 03/02/2006 11:32:30 AM PST by RockinRight (Attention RNC...we're the party of Reagan, not FDR...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: ScreamingFist; 70times7
Man-O-War, eh? Glad I missed 'em. Never saw The Nuge either, but I hear he cranks it up.

Zep was the loudest I ever saw (ears rang for days), followed by The Who.

17 posted on 03/02/2006 11:32:50 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian
Oh brother.... The iPod isn't anything new or special when it comes to loud music through headphones. That's been going on for decades now.

Much ado about nothing.

18 posted on 03/02/2006 11:32:51 AM PST by TChris ("Wake up, America. This is serious." - Ben Stein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian

I'll file this right next to the article from the seventies "Pornography set to create a blind generation".


Owl_Eagle

(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,

 it was probably sarcasm)

19 posted on 03/02/2006 11:35:18 AM PST by End Times Sentinel (In Memory of my Dear Friend Henry Lee II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight
what did you say? Huh??


20 posted on 03/02/2006 11:36:26 AM PST by xsrdx (Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson