Roughly 80% of children will have at least one ear infection before the age of three. Almost all of them will fall victim to at least one before they turn six. And they are the most common reason why parents bring their children to the doctor’s office. Although anyone can develop an ear infection, children, and particularly those under seven years of age, are particularly susceptible. Left untreated, the long term consequences can be surprising, and severe.
Have you ever wondered why some people don’t seem to be listening, or why others require the television to be just a little bit louder? Have you ever noticed a friend or family member who seems uncomfortable in noisy social settings, or a child who has trouble concentrating? The reason for these actions may surprise you.
New data just published states that approximately half a billion people - or 6-8% of the global population - suffer disabling hearing loss. It is the most common disability identifiable at birth. And although newborn hearing screening programs do exist in many Canadian provinces and American states, few offer universal school-aged hearing screening programs.
It’s been a busy conference season. With our last event of the year now behind us, I’ve had a chance to reflect on some common themes I heard while speaking with so many of you this year. One thing I heard over and over was the wish to move out of the clinic, and take hearing testing on the road. And to do this, many of you have been looking to buy a portable audiometer.
Every day, workers everywhere are exposed to noise during their workday that may be loud enough - or occasionally loud enough - to be damaging to their hearing. Without adequate protection and procedures, long-term damage can occur. This is why workplace safety, and hearing conservation programs, are essential for long-term health and well-being.
Sound is a constant presence in our everyday lives. We are always exposed to noise from a wide variety of sources — the radio, television, traffic, family, friends, colleagues, etc. This kind of noise generally presents no risk, and shouldn’t cause any kind of damage to our hearing. But when that noise we are exposed to becomes too loud it can become dangerous. Both brief bursts or consistent exposure pose a threat to one’s overall hearing health. It can cause damage to the sensitive structures in the inner ear and ultimately result in some level of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).The consequence of consistent exposure to loud noise
