Download Headphone Press Release Dec 2013

9th December 2013
PRESS RELEASE
6 out of 10 young people risk permanent hearing loss
Parents urged to buy safer headphones for their children
Up to 60% of young people in Ireland are listening to music at dangerously loud
levels according to preliminary findings from a national project being undertaken
by DeafHear.ie
Keep the Sound is a project, currently being rolled out in schools around the
country, to measure sound levels used by teenagers on their personal music
devices (MP3s, mobile phones etc.). Early returns from the first group of schools
visited indicate that six out of every ten students tested are using their devices at
levels likely to cause long-term damage to their hearing.
According to Brendan Lennon, DeafHear’s Head of Information, “it is perfectly safe
to listen to music on headphones at volumes up to 85dB. With each additional
decibel you should be limiting the length of time you listen on the device. For
instance, at 91dB anything more than two hours a day will cause permanent
damage.”
The initial findings from the current survey have found that 60% of those tested
were listening at volumes in excess of 91dB with one in four playing their devices
at extremely dangerous levels - over 100dB! At this level, exposure of more than
15 minutes per day will cause permanent and irreparable hearing damage.
Research has shown that those using in-ear ear buds are up to four times more
likely to damage their hearing as those using ‘over ear’ headphones.
DeafHear are releasing these preliminary findings in the hope of influencing
parents considering buying music players for their children in the lead up to
DeafHear.ie
Head Office: 35 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Tel: +353 (0)1 817 5700 | Minicom: +353 (0)1 817 5777 | Fax: +353 (0)1 878 3629 / 872 3816
Email: [email protected] | Web: www.deafhear.ie | Text messages: +353 (0)1 878 3629
Christmas. “We want to encourage parents, and Santa, who may be giving gifts of
music players this Christmas to protect the hearing of children and young people,”
said Brendan Lennon. “The advice is simple - make sure that your child has a set
of headphones, not earphones! This is the most effective step to protect your
child’s hearing.
“There is a wide range of headphones available on the market, with a wide variety
of prices. If you can afford it, it is worth looking at headphones with noise
cancelling features, which offer additional protection,” he said.
- ENDS For further information please contact:
Fergus Lynch – Tel 087 2569111
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
 Research has shown that teenagers and young adults are damaging their
hearing by listening to music at dangerous levels. Studies have found that
up to 20% of young people in the US, France and Holland have symptoms of
hearing loss.
 Some research has shown that up to 75% of parents are unaware of the
risks associated with listening to loud music.
 There is an average difference in listening levels of over 6dB between those
who use earphones and those who use headphones headphones. This
means that people using earphones are listening to music at intensities of
more than four times that of those using headphones.
DeafHear is a national charity providing a range of specialist support services to
Deaf and Hard of Hearing people and their families. DeafHear campaigns and
advocates for improved access to public services and society in general for all Deaf
and Hard of Hearing people. It is engaged in research investigating the impact of
deafness on people’s lives and on developing strategies to reduce the levels of
hearing loss in the population. Over 30,000 people avail of DeafHear services
every year, and one in six people have some level of hearing loss.
DeafHear.ie
Head Office: 35 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Tel: +353 (0)1 817 5700 | Minicom: +353 (0)1 817 5777 | Fax: +353 (0)1 878 3629 / 872 3816
Email: [email protected] | Web: www.deafhear.ie | Text messages: +353 (0)1 878 3629