Hear for the Future® The Center for Hearing and Communication is proud to offer the Noise Center as a public service for people seeking information about the dangers of noise exposure and the steps they can take to promote a safer and quieter world. Exposure to noise is the leading cause of hearing loss—not age.
Common environmental noise levels
How loud is too loud? Continued exposure to noise above 85 dBA (adjusted decibels) over time will cause hearing loss. The volume (dBA) and the length of exposure to the sound will tell you how harmful the noise is. In general, the louder the noise, the less time required before hearing loss will occur. According
The impact of noise on childhood cognitive development
Poor classroom acoustics: The invisible reason Johnny can’t read. Poor classroom acoustics create a negative learning environment for many students, especially those with hearing or learning difficulties. According to a report by David Lubman (“America’s Need for Standards and Guidelines to Ensure Satisfactory Classroom Acoustics”) “acoustical conditions in many classrooms are unsuitable for such tasks