The Journal of the American Medical Association released new research that shows hearing loss among U.S. teens is up 30 percent - more than 70 percent when just mild or worse cases are considered. Researchers noted that some risk factors, such as loud sound exposure from music listening may be of particular importance to adolescents.
A supporter of ASHA's Listen To Your Buds campaign - an initiative aiming to teach children about the safe use of audio technology - Califone International, Inc., has designed a number of products with student safety in mind.
Califone developed a personal MP3 player/recorder that prohibits users from listening to the audio above 85 decibels, the safety level recommended by ASHA. In addition, several products are equipped with an LED light that turns on if the volume is higher than the ASHA-recommended 85 decibels.
