Better Hearing and Speech Month (May, 2022)
Key Facts:
According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) first World Report on Hearing, globally:
- Over half of all people aged 12-35 years of age listen to music at levels that are harmful to their hearing.
- When using a personal audio device, like earbuds, volume should not exceed 80 dB (for adults) or 75 dB (for sensitive ears like children) for 40 hours a week.
- A good rule is to stay below the 60% volume mark.
- If you use personal audio devices often, consider using noise cancelling headphones to reduce the level of volume.
- Listening to a personal audio device at 100 dB for 15 minutes is about the equivalent of noise an industrial worker is exposed to in a typical workday (85 dB/8 hr).
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Connecting People is this year’s theme for Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and DHD#10 want to raise awareness about hearing and speech problems, and to motivate people to protect their hearing.
According to the CDC, early identification for hearing loss is important as most people live with unidentified hearing loss. Getting your hearing checked is the first step! ASHA also points out that with children staying home more due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents are concerned that their child’s social skills have suffered, which may be true for kids with speech language, or social communication disorders. As more activities and spaces open up, be sure to help your kids practice social skills by playing restaurant or school, talking about feelings when watching TV or reading, and planning playdates within pandemic guidelines.
To learn more about the ASHA and BHSM, please visit https://www.asha.org/bhsm/.
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