Study: 15 percent of children have hearing loss

April 7, 1998
Web posted at: 11:47 p.m. EDT (0347 GMT)

(CNN) -- A new study shows that 15 percent of children have some level of hearing loss in one or both ears.

The first-ever nationwide survey of children's hearing, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, shows that children have hearing loss in both low and high frequencies.

But researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not know if more children are having more hearing loss than in the past, because there is no similar research with which to compare the new data.

But the researchers and hearing specialists suspect that today's world might make hearing loss more prevalent among children.

CNN's Al Hinman reports on a new study concerning hearing loss in children

"It was assumed in the past that children wouldn't have noise-induced hearing loss at an early age," said Amanda Niskar of the CDC. "And this study showed that actually children have high frequency hearing loss ... and potentially some of that may be explained by noise."

However, researchers know they can't blame hearing loss entirely on noise. There could be other factors, such as an increase in ear infections perhaps caused by germs picked up in day care.

Doctors are reminding parents and children that once hearing is lost, it is gone forever, and that any hearing loss can adversely affect a child's development.

Medical Correspondent Al Hinman contributed to this report.

Related story:

• Ear infections in children linked to secondhand smoke - February 10, 1998

Related site:

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• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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