Schoolkids now spend an estimated 7.5 hours per day using phones, computers, and tablets -- an all-time high. This screen time doesn't merely increase the risk of mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. It's also linked to alarming rates of hearing loss.
As an ear, nose, and throat surgeon, I have seen firsthand how hearing loss impacts kids, their families, and their learning. When we're exposed to loud noises, those sound waves can permanently damage the cells that transmit signals to the brain.
Children's auditory systems are especially vulnerable. Not only are they more susceptible to damage from loud sounds, but kids are also less likely to recognize or report the signs of hearing loss. That's why it's so critical for physicians and public health officials to make parents aware of the dangers -- and educate them on ways to prevent such damage before it happens.
Generally, noises over 85 decibels can cause hearing damage, particularly with prolonged exposure. The World Health Organization recommends that children keep listening volumes on devices below 75 decibels -- roughly as loud as a vacuum cleaner -- for no more than 40 hours per week.
Those limits, however, are easily exceeded in daily life.
Screen time often exposes children to prolonged high-volume noise, particularly through headphones and earbuds. Last year, the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health found that two-thirds of parents reported that their children use headphones or earbuds, with most parents agreeing that "headphones are fine for children as long as the volume isn't too loud."
But children and parents don't always realize when the sound is too loud. Part of the challenge is that kids often feel invincible. They assume nothing can really harm them, including exposure to very loud sounds. That belief is especially risky given that devices -- even those marketed as "kid safe" -- can reach volumes well above the threshold known to cause hearing damage. And many children spend hours at a time immersed in streaming, gaming, or online learning with headphones on. Without safeguards, they may be unknowingly causing themselves a lifetime of hearing issues.
In fact, between 13% and 17% of students ages 12 to 19 already have measurable hearing loss resulting from excessive noise exposure -- as many as one in every six to eight middle and high school students. This is not only from screen time use but also exposure at school. Nearly three in four adolescents say they're subjected to loud noises at school for more than 15 minutes a day, almost every day.
The consequences of hearing loss extend well beyond missing a word or two. Even mild to moderate hearing loss can undermine learning -- studies show that students with hearing impairments tend to underperform their peers. That disadvantage can snowball into academic struggles in later grades, reduced confidence, and stress for both students and families.
And the effects don't end in childhood. On the other end of the age spectrum, brain scans show that those with hearing loss can experience faster rates of brain atrophy, which is the loss of brain cells and tissue and is connected to dementia. One study found that hearing loss, untreated by hearing aids, was associated with a 7% higher risk of dementia. Another study suggested that up to 32% of dementia cases may be attributable to audiometric hearing loss.
We cannot afford to tune out the threat of noise-induced hearing loss in children. Federal agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission ought to better enforce pediatric noise exposure standards by requiring toy manufacturers to label products that exceed safe thresholds and to design with children's health in mind.
In the meantime, it's up to physicians to educate families about the risks posed by headphones, screens, and even toys that exceed safe sound levels. As a general rule, the American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery encourages parents to implement the 60-60 rule: children should listen to 60% of the total volume, for less than 60 minutes at a time, then take a break for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow their ears to recover.
And protecting hearing health can extend to offline activity too. Children should be wearing earplugs at loud concerts and sporting events, where noise can easily exceed that 85 decibel threshold. I myself had my ears ring for days after going to an AC/DC concert when I was a teenager!
Most parents, and their kids, probably haven't heard much about this under-discussed risk of screen time. But the evidence is clear, and alarming. If we don't decrease the volume of kids' screen time -- literally and figuratively -- the next generation could suffer permanent hearing loss that undermines their ability to learn, connect, and thrive.
Bobby Mukkamala, MD, is an otolaryngologist in Flint, Michigan, and president of the American Medical Association.
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