Pointing out that developing technology can also negatively affect the health of young people, Denizli Private Surgery Hospital Ear Nose Throat Diseases Specialist Op. Dr. Tuna Kenar said, “Listening to loud music threatens the hearing health of young people.”
Denizli Private Surgery Hospital Otorhinolaryngology Specialist Op. Dr. Tuna Kenar made important warnings about hearing health and hearing aids during the International Week for the Hearing Impaired, which is celebrated between September 23-29. Stating that the week activities provide an important opportunity to integrate the hearing impaired into society and raise awareness, Dr. Kenar emphasized the importance of creating awareness in the society in terms of prevention and treatment of hearing loss. Underlining the critical importance of hearing screenings for preschool and primary school children in terms of detecting possible hearing loss at an early age, Dr. Kenar pointed out that in recent years, there has been an increasing concern that listening to loud music in young people leads to hearing loss.
“Out of a thousand births, between 2 and 4 newborn babies are born with hearing impairment”
Stating that there are 70 million hearing impaired individuals in the world and around 200 thousand in our country, Op. Dr. Tuna Kenar said that since the 2000s, it has been determined whether newborn babies are hearing impaired with Newborn Hearing Screening. Emphasizing that between 2 and 4 newborn babies are born with hearing impairment in a thousand births in the statistics, Op. Dr. Tuna Kenar said, “There are approximately 70 million hearing impaired individuals in the world today and around 200 thousand in our country. These people are counted as newborns and the oldest individuals. We provide our window to the outside world through hearing and then communicate with people by announcing this with our voice. In our country, since the 2000s, the Newborn Hearing Screening Program has been implemented and we find hearing impaired individuals in newborns. This is diagnosed and treated at an early stage. According to statistics, between 2 and 4 newborn babies are born with hearing impairment per thousand births. We use hearing aids by diagnosing these babies early, but if they do not benefit from them, these individuals are reintegrated into society by providing their hearing with Bionic ear or brain stem implantation at a later stage.”
“Early hearing loss due to listening to loud music is common”
Op. Dr. Tuna Kenar stated that hearing screenings are performed on preschool and first grade children to determine whether there is a hearing impairment in children of that age. In addition, Dr. Kenar noted that the recently developing technology has affected young people and that early hearing loss due to listening to loud music is common, “Apart from these, if we list hearing losses, hearing screenings are performed in preschool and primary school first grade and hearing disabilities are detected in children of that age. In the young population, hearing losses are also seen in the early period due to recent technological devices and listening to loud music. In fact, hearing loss due to aging, which we see more often in older age, is also common. For example, about 50 percent of 75 to 80 year old individuals have hearing loss to the extent that they use hearing aids. What is important here, especially in old age, if people cannot hear the sound, their socialization decreases and brain use slows down because the brain is not sufficiently stimulated and cannot give an output. There is an increase in Alzheimer's, dementia and old age depression diseases.”
“Citizens around individuals who use hearing aids should support them”
Emphasizing that individuals who use hearing aids regardless of their age should be supported by the citizens around them, Dr. Kenar said, “In cases where hearing aids should be used regardless of their age, these people and the people around them should be socially supported. Because this is a social handicap that we encounter very often, as if it is seen as an indicator of disability. With the advancement of technology, there are chips that cannot be seen inside the ear. Or there are more technological chips. Also, with the development of technology and the development of chip technology, these devices do not make sound and similar situations as before. Today's chips are even easier to use. Therefore, the citizens around the individuals who need to use hearing aids should support the patient.”
