This year, our school participated in the National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NDFHH) Hearing Screening Programme.

NFDHH provided free hearing screening checks for all Year 9 students, as well as collected information from students on their environment and use of personal listening devices.

Globally, 1 in 5 teenagers have some form of hearing loss and this number is predicted to double over the next 30 years. A major factor in youth hearing loss is ongoing exposure to loud noises, such as listening to personal devices on headphones too loudly and/or for too long.

Here in New Zealand, we are also starting to see alarming levels of youth hearing loss and our initial hearing screenings at secondary schools indicate that our youth hearing loss rates could be mirroring global trends. Noise-induced hearing loss is irreversible and completely preventable.

To ensure young people are aware of the risks, the National Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing launched a Hearing Screening Programme in 2019, which focuses on educating young people and provides free hearing screenings at selected secondary schools throughout New Zealand.

The hearing screening results will form part of an ongoing tracking and monitoring programme, which will provide essential data on youth hearing prevalence rates in New Zealand. It is important that youth hearing loss is picked up, as early as possible, and that students can access the support services they need so that their hearing loss doesn’t hold them back at school or as they transition into their first job.

Here at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College, our hearing screening results indicated that 11% of the students screened had abnormal hearing results. Some of these students are now being referred for a full hearing assessment. In addition, 30% of students advised they are experiencing ringing in the ears, otherwise known as Tinnitus. In the majority of cases, Tinnitus leads to hearing loss and hearing health issues in the future, and this is a worrying trend we are seeing across New Zealand.

Unsafe listening habits mean listening to personal devices, such as smartphones, at higher volumes than recommended and for long periods. At Hagley College, 43%of students are listening at unsafe levels, highlighting the importance of educating students and their caregivers on how young people can enjoy listening to music and recreational noise but safely to protect their hearing. Once your hearing is gone you cannot get it back.

The Make Listening Safe Education initiative is an important part of the Hearing Screening programme and aims to educate students and their parents on safe listening practices. Available on their website are resources that parents and young people can read through to protect their hearing, https://www.nfd.org.nz/school-programmes.