The Parents Zone

MONDAY, July 18 — Exposure to secondhand smoke could affect hearing development in children and increase their risk of hearing loss during adolescence, a new study indicates

These findings may warrant screenings for hearing loss among children exposed to secondhand smoke, the researchers warned

Roughly 60 percent of children in the United States are exposed to secondhand smoke, reported the studys authors These children are at greater risk for certain health problems, from respiratory infections to behavioral difficulties and otitis media acute ear infection Babies whose mothers smoked when pregnant are also at greater risk for low birthweight and other problems

“Secondhand smoke may also have the potential to have an impact on auditory development,” something that has significant implications for US public health, the researchers wrote

In the study, they questioned 1,533 teens about their health status and family medical history, exposure to secondhand smoke and their knowledge of whether or not they had a hearing problem The teens were also given physicals, which included blood testing for cotinine a byproduct of nicotine exposure and hearing tests

Teens who had been exposed to secondhand smoke had higher rates of low- and high-frequency hearing loss than their peers who were not exposed, researchers found The study noted that judging by cotinine levels, the severity of the hearing loss depended on how much exposure they had had The study pointed out, however, more than 80 percent of the teens suffering from hearing loss didnt even realize they had a problem

The findings were published in the July issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery

Since teenagers are not screened for hearing loss in the absence of risk factors for the condition, the researchers argued teens that have been exposed to secondhand smoke should be more closely monitored for hearing impairment

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