Hearing-loss prevention practices should be taught in schools

Children are often exposed to excessive levels of sound, such as loud music, firearms, power tools, and noisy toys. Such exposure puts children at risk for developing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus. For more than 30 years, health policy agencies and numerous experts in hearing science have recommended teaching hearing-loss prevention practices to children in schools as a way to reduce the prevalence of NIHL. Despite these recommendations, basic hearing-loss prevention information that could prevent countless cases of NIHL remains conspicuously absent from most school curricula. At least 10 organizations produce or use a variety of materials in a comprehensive hearing-loss prevention curriculum for school-age children. At least 18 additional organizations produce or disseminate materials (Web-based, video, or printed matter) that could be used to teach hearing-loss prevention in classrooms. Therefore, adequate materials and curricula are available for presenting this information to school-age children. It is time to implement the repeated recommendations of experts by providing hearing-loss prevention instruction in all of our nation's schools on a regular basis. These educational efforts should eventually help to reduce the prevalence of NIHL, which is a fully preventable condition.