Natasha Gallardo: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing CEO on youth hearing loss reaching higher levels

There's growing concerns youth hearing loss could be at an all-time high.

Globally, one in five young people have been diagnosed with hearing issues - and the WHO has predicted over one billion young adults risk permanent avoidable hearing loss.

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing CEO Natasha Gallardo says the problem stems from prolonged use of loud headphones and personal devices.

"It's mainly whether or not that tinnitus is ongoing - and really, what are your listening habits? Are they contributing to that tinnitus and the potential for that to become permanent?"

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sounds like we've got a big problem with hearing loss
in young people. Apparently, across the world, about one in
five young people are currently diagnosed with hearing issues. In
New Zealand, nearly a quarter of year nine students report
having tenatus or. Tonight's Natasha Galado is the CEO of
the National Foundation for Deaf and Hard Hearing and is
with us now, Hey, Natasha, oh hi, how are you

(00:20):
very well? Thank you? Can we blame the headphones, the
earphones for this?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
It's certainly looking that way. Yes, When we look at
that one in five globally young people having hearing us
it's mainly due to preventive issues relating to headphone use.
So yes, it certainly looks that way.

Speaker 1 (00:41):
I mean, I guess the problem is that the young
people are using these headphones and devices much more than
when I was a young person. So how do you
help them to keep the levels down?

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yeah? Absolutely they are. I think the key thing is education.
We've been running a Mate Listening Safe education program in
secondary schools since twenty twenty and the aim of that
program is to provide information to the students and parents.
I'm still enjoying listening to your personal devices and using headphones,

(01:10):
But what's the safest way that you can do that
to protect your.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Hearing and young people make dumb decisions. So as a parent,
how do you know if it's too loud? Like, do
you do you need to stick your head close to
the headphone? Be like, if you can hear it yourself,
it's too loud.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Absolutely, yes, that is one gauge that you can tell
that if you can hear it, even music or anything
coming through the headphones, it's definitely too loud.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
I look forward to that battle. Does it always lead
to hearing loss if they've got tenatus?

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Not always? No, It's really around whether that tinatus is
permanent or if it's something that is just temporary. Many
people go to a concert and walk out what's bringing
in the years, But that could be just something that
just lasts for a few days. It's mainly whether or
not that tinatus is on and really what are your

(02:03):
listening habits as they contributing to that tenatus and that
potential for it to become more permanent.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Natasha is good to talk to you. Thank you for that.
Natasha Galada, the chief executive of the National Foundation for
the Deaf.

Speaker 3 (02:17):
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