World Hearing Day

World Hearing Day

Gracie McHenry, Writer

Thursday, March 3 is World Hearing day. On Wednesday, March 2, 2022 WHO, World Health Organization, released a statement that over one billion people age 12 – 35 are at risk of losing their hearing. This would be due to prolonged and excessive loud music. WHO released a new standard for safe listening. With the slogan “To hear for life, listen with care!”

As of now 1.5 billion people live with hearing loss, according to recent studies that number can rise to 2.5 billion by 2030. Prevention is aimed towards young adults. The ones that go to loud venues, such as concerts, sporting events, and nightclubs. Things like video games may also cause hearing loss.

WHO has released six things that if you do, they could improve your chances of not having hearing loss. Including a listening maximum of 100 decibels for no more than 15 minutes. 100 decibels is around the maximum of your airpods.

It’s being encouraged that adults such as parents and teachers should encourage young children to practice safe listening. 

WHO is also recommending that venues add a safe listening option. Such as providing earplugs or noise canceling headphones. Or adding access to quiet zones during concerts, that way people can rest their ears, and decrease the risk of hearing loss.

If you want to read more on this topic the United Nations has many amazing articles. Including the one i used, https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1113182