<p>"One in five American teenagers now suffers from some type of hearing loss, an increase of 31% since the mid-'90s, new research shows." Parents, do your kids hear you when you talk to them? Maybe it's more like Paul Simon said, "People hearing without listening."</p>
<p>Hearing</a> loss hits 1 in 5 U.S. teens - USATODAY.com</p>
<p>And I thought that they were just ignoring me…</p>
<p>That gosh durned rock n’ roll music is nothing but trouble (or substitute rap music, video games, snack food). Seems like people are just hunting for something to worry about.</p>
<p>I told my kids when they got their ipods that if I could hear their music sitting 5 feet away, it was too loud.</p>
<p>Two of my kids prefer the over the hear headphones. One prefers earbuds, but listens at a quieter volume. I can’t stand earbuds. </p>
<p>Then again, I had those enormous foam headphones when I was a teen, and think the sound is much better from these types. Bose makes some excellent ones, now.</p>
<p>A professor once told me that the average American teenager that listens to an MP3 player everyday does so at a volume that will render him/her deaf by age 30. In-ear ear-buds and the vicious cycle of “Hm, doesn’t seem as loud anymore, I better turn it up. … Hm, doesn’t seem as loud anymore, I better turn it up. …” both weigh heavily on this.</p>
<p>If you can hear someone talking pretty close to you and still hear the music, it’s a good volume. I primarily listen to my iPod in the car so as long as I can semi-understand the conversation going around me I’m good.</p>