TV Schedule

Turn to the Left - A lesson on Audiology

  1. stopnoise
  2. related topics
Turn to the Left - A lesson on Audiology

Thursday, January 24, 2008 8:06 AM CST
Now hear this
By AMIE STEFFEN, Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO --- It's one rap song you won't be bumping out of your speakers,
because the lyrics implore you not to.

"Turn it to the Left," an educational rap penned and performed by musician
Benjamin Jackson, details the problems of kids today. But they're definitely not your typical hip-hop problems.

" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLSYq5kau_w"

"It ain't no fun, man, it ain't no fun / When you're 20 years old, but your
ears are 81," Jackson rapped during a performance at the AudiologyNOW!
conference last April in Denver, Colo., the likes of which can be heard on
YouTube. "Imagine what it's like to be hearing this track / Except the words are all muffled and the beat is whack."

That's right --- "Turn it to the Left" is about turning the volume down on
your music player, and the problems that result if you don't. Produced for
the American Academy of Audiology, the rap talks about noise-induced hearing loss and is aimed at children and teens.

Normally only problematic for adults, noise-induced hearing loss, or NIHL,
now affects an estimated 5 million children across the country, according to the AAA.

Dr. Robyn Ritchey, a doctor of audiology who contracts with Covenant Medical Center, said she hadn't heard of many cases of children suffering from NIHL yet. However, "we see that more and more now, whether it be the iPods, cars with stereo systems, even some of the farm equipment now is very loud," Ritchey said.

The worst kind of headphones with regards to music players are known as "ear buds," which sit inside the ear and send music directly down the ear canal, according to Ritchey.

"It's more like sitting in the front row of a rock concert, or a jet engine; it's very damaging," she said.

Dr. Joseph Hart, an ear, nose and throat specialist with Allen Hospital in
Waterloo, recently diagnosed a 14-year-old with noise-induced hearing loss,
caused by both the use of an iPod as well as working in a garage.

"So that's what you're battling with kids --- they think they're
indestructible," Hart said. "And it's not always right away. It can be years later."

Since there are currently no surgical or medical procedures to treat NIHL,
protecting your ears becomes an important consideration.

"It's irreversible --- you can't get (your hearing) back," Ritchey said.

You can read the whole article at this url:
" http://tinyurl.com/3anrf5"
stopnoise

Add your response

Login/Registration is required to add a response.