Thursday 1 December 2011

MUSICIANS HEARING PROBLEMS


MUSICIANS
Career Musicians including Djs have a very high risk of losing their career early. Exposure to loud music over prolonged periods of time damages hearing.
Musicians assess the quality of their music by carefully listening and analyzing it. Therefore musicians need to have excellent hearing!
In order to maintain excellent hearing musicians need to have.
1.       Hearing tested regularly ( at least once a year)
2.       Use hearing protective devices  e.g. . . . ear muffs , ear plugs (especially percussionists)
3.       Reduce the “loudness” level to safe levels for listening especially in the use of personal listening devices.
4.       Seek advice and help from a health professional in audiology

HEARING IN CHILDREN
Is your child developing well?
You are likely to identify problems with a child early in life especially hearing problems.
When identified early, hearing problem can be managed with good results.
The child may be able to develop language and speech. Sample questions at 3 months:

DO YOUR CHILD DO THE FOLLOWING ?
If your answers is NO then your child is likely to have hearing problem.
1. Child jumps (starters) to land sound          YES                             NO 

2. Stirs from sleep when their is a loud noise   YES                             NO

3. Stops sucking when their is a sudden new sound YES                     NO

Extract from early recognition and feral of hearing impaired children” by N> Matking, 1984, paediatrics in review, 6(5).