Study shows that hearing loss among teenage girls has increased

By Staff Writer

Teenagers who have poor hearing skills may not be able to grasp as much information in class, which may lead to academic underachievement.

A new study by Harvard University researchers reveals that an increasing number of girls are experiencing some form of hearing loss by age 19, according to WebMD Health News. The study, which appears in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics, found that nearly 17 percent of American girls suffered a significant amount of hearing loss as of 2008 , which is a 5 percent increase from a similar study from 1988 to 1994.

Researchers believe that an increase in the number of teens who wear headphones may have contributed to the increase in hearing loss. Including boys and girls, hearing loss dropped from 18.5 percent in 1994 to 17.7 percent in 2008. However, researchers said that negative effects from headphone use may not impact individuals until adulthood.

"Noise-induced damage might not be evident by 12 to 19 years of age, but might become increasingly evident in the mid-20s," the study's authors concluded.

Some adolescents rely on music, television, video games and the Internet as their primary sources of entertainment, which may lead to anti-social behavior or academic underachievement. Problem teens who are addicted to technological devices may benefit from wilderness therapy, which is an outdoor treatment that aims to connect adolescents with nature.