Tinnitus Is Common in Children With and Without Hearing Impairment

Tinnitus Is Common in Children With and Without Hearing Impairment

Forty percent of children with normal hearing reported some form of tinnitus.

Recent studies in Sweden suggest that the prevalence of tinnitus in children is increasing. In 2006, researchers in Gothenburg, Sweden, surveyed 756 children undergoing standard audiometric screening about whether they experienced noise-induced or spontaneous tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or other sorts of sound in one's ears) and whether they noticed that their hearing was worse after listening to loud music or other noise (temporary hearing threshold shift [TTS]).

Some form of tinnitus was reported by 41% of the 706 children with normal hearing and 58% of the 50 children with hearing impairment. High-frequency neurosensory hearing loss accounted for most hearing impairment. In logistic regression analysis, the probability of spontaneous tinnitus was 63% in children with both hearing impairment and TTS and 27% in children without hearing impairment or TTS. The probability of noise-induced tinnitus was 59% in children who experienced TTS and 17% in those who did not experience TTS. TTS did not correlate with hearing impairment.

Comment: Most children with hearing impairment and many without hearing loss report tinnitus. Noise-induced tinnitus is particularly common in children who report TTS. The authors hypothesize that, as with adults, spontaneous tinnitus in children without TTS or hearing impairment results from factors other than noise, such as stress or anxiety.

— F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Published in Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine January 25, 2012

Citation(s):

Juul J et al. Tinnitus and hearing in 7-year-old children. Arch Dis Child 2012 Jan; 97:28.

Original article (Subscription may be required)
Medline abstract (Free)

Reader Remarks:

Review and add to remarks on this article

Tinnitus
Daryl Vernon, 27 Jan 2012 1:55 PM EST
Specialty: Unspecified
This increased incidence is beyond doubt in the main from the Frey effect/ microwave auditory effect/ microwave hearing. Why will... [more]
Tinnitus in children
MM Glaser, Psychologist, 27 Jan 2012 1:55 PM EST
Specialty: Unspecified
I read the article on tinnitus in children. I'm wondering if you are aware of the established effect called “microwave... [more]

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