A recent article published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery showed evidence that 1 in 7 children in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, have signs of hearing loss that could be attributed to noise exposure from portable music players (PMPs).
The association of PMP use with hearing loss has recently become a popular topic. In an invited commentary authored by Dr. Kevin Franck, Director of Audiology at Mass. Eye and Ear, he discusses how smartphones could actually help save a person's hearing. He argues that the use of apps that monitor the noise level of your headphones and ones that administer self-hearing tests could change the way people take care of their ears.
"Perhaps the parents will respond to the importance of saving their children's hearing, which will result in a new generation in which healthy hearing devices are as common as sunglasses and sunscreen, and protecting and maintaining hearing health is as devoid of stigma as fitness and diet," said Dr. Franck.