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How common is hearing loss for...
Experiencing hearing loss is often an isolating experience. You may feel cut off from family and friends and isolate yourself to avoid tricky social situations that require stronger hearing. The good and bad news is that you are not alone! How common is hearing loss? Per the World Health Organization (WHO), 466 million people worldwide suffer from some form of hearing loss, and there are plenty of resources and support groups if you feel overwhelmed.
While hearing loss occurs at every age, certain age brackets see more hearing loss.
How common is hearing loss for...
- Babies: For every 1,000 babies born in America, 2 or 3 will have some sort of hearing loss, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Per WebMD, causes at this age are generally genetic or as a result of complications during pregnancy or birth, exposure to certain medications, premature birth, infection, or injury. Hearing loss at this early age can sometimes be reversed with medication, while other babies receive implants or hearing aids
- Teens: Between 1988 and 2010, the National Institute of Health (NIH) monitored teen hearing to see if any changes occurred over the 22 years. They found that consistently, 13 to 18 percent of children up to 18 years old experience signs of hearing loss. At this age, new hearing loss is usually a result of damage to the ear from a loud sound or overexposure to loud sounds for a sustained amount of time (called sensorineural hearing loss). Additionally, certain infections can lead to hearing loss for teens. Addressing hearing loss at this stage makes an incredible impact on student life and education, and future protections should be instilled for prevention.
- Middle age: NIDCD states that 18 percent of adults in the 20 to 69 age range have loss in both ears, often based on sound frequency. People in this age range may have more difficulty hearing very high or very low pitched sounds. Two percent of those aged 45 to 54 have hearing loss so great it disables them. While this statistic may not mean much, it is interesting to note that the percentage jumps to 8.5 percent when the age range rises to 55 to 64-year-olds. Above any other factor, age is the greatest indicator of hearing loss.
- Retirement age: 65 is the age where you will see the largest jump in hearing loss, and hearing loss is incredibly common in this age bracket. At this point in life, 1 in 3 will experience hearing loss, per NIH’s National Institute on Aging. By age 75, that ratio increases to 1 in 2 individuals. Presbycusis is the name given to hearing loss that is purely age-related. The loss is gradual over time, making it a challenge to determine when the issue begins. Taking a hearing test or seeing an audiologist at this stage is imperative to address the issue and treat, most likely with hearing aids.
