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by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
This article by Alexia Hendrickson on About Manchester, a UK site, is a good primer on hidden hearing loss.
Hidden hearing loss got its name because people often complain of being unable to understand speech in noisy environments, but their hearing tests are normal. The auditory damage is “hidden,” because it is detected only by specialized research techniques.
Of note is the discussion about mild hearing loss in children being sufficient to interfere with learning. Hendrickson mentions some helpful tips, but to me the most important thing tip was missing. Namely, the best option is to prevent hearing loss of any kind–hidden or not–by avoiding exposure to loud sounds.
