Different Kinds of Hearing Loss in Teens

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 19.5% of children ages 6-19 have a hearing loss of some degree. Teens can acquire a hearing loss from activities they enjoy everyday, such as sporting events, outdoor recreation, concerts and in-the-ear headphones. It is important to know the signs and symptoms of a hearing loss and seek professional advice from a certified audiologist if a hearing loss is suspected.

  1. Conductive Hearing Loss

    • A conductive hearing loss involves the outer and middle ear. A blockage or abnormality stops the sounds waves from conducting, or traveling, to the inner ear. This is the most common type of hearing loss in children and teenagers. Possible causes of a conductive hearing loss include build-up of ear wax, allergies, swimmer's ear, a perforated ear drum or a birth defect. Teens who suffer from this type of loss will complain that voices and sounds are faint. This type of hearing loss can often be treated medically or surgically.

    Sensorineural Hearing Loss

    • A sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or hearing nerve that travels from the inner ear to the auditory processing region in the brain. Common causes in teens are noise exposure, ototoxic medications, and viral or bacterial infections. Teens who suffer from this type of loss will say that people seem to mumble, or that they can hear speech but not understand what is being said. A sensorineural hearing loss is most often permanent and cannot be treated with medications or surgery. Hearing aids are an effective treatment option.

    Severity Levels

    • Sound levels are measured in decibels (dB). A teen with no hearing loss hears sounds that are -10 to 15 dB. A mild hearing loss occurs in the 26 to 40 dB range and soft sounds are hard to hear. A moderate hearing loss makes conversations at a normal volume level difficult to understand. A teen with a severe hearing loss, in the 71 to 90 dB range, will not hear speech without hearing aids. A hearing loss above 91 dB is considered profound. Speech and loud noises may not be heard, even with amplification.

    Prevention

    • Contrary to popular belief, a person cannot get used to loud noise. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has created guidelines to prevent hearing loss, including: keep personal listening devices to no more than half volume, pay attention to noise ratings on electronics, wear hearing protection when in a noisy environment, and do not listen to loud sounds for too long. If a teen's ears are hurting or there is ringing present, keep them in a quiet environment to give their ears a rest. If the symptoms do not subside, seek medical attention.

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