What about the Children? Are There Long-Term Consequences to Earlier and Greater Exposure to Noise?

There are harmful noises everywhere. "The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that approximately 30 million Americans are exposed to the daily noise levels that may cause hearing loss" (Daniel, 2007, p. 226). Exposure to excessive noise can cause permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, lack of communication, poor self-esteem, but in many situations it can be prevented. In this article I will explain the possible sources of noise exposure that may occur before the danger, the long-term effects of early noise exposure, and the main causes of preventable social diseases.

Long-term occupational noise exposure can cause permanent hearing impairment, which is called noise hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus. When exposed to noise, the auditory mechanism is over stimulated, which may damage the microstructure of the inner ear. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), NIHL occurs when an individual is exposed to a sound level of over 90 dBA. Regulation requires individuals to recognize noise exposure levels of 90 dBA. At the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the exposure limit is set at 85 dBA. Exposure below 85 dBA is not considered as dangerous. The time limit varies depending on the length of time an individual can stay in an environment that exceeds 85 dBA before causing hearing impairment. OSHA has set this limit to 85 dBA for 8 hours. As the dBA level increases the exposure time becomes shorter

Lead exposure can have serious long-term health consequences for adults and children. Even at low levels, childhood lead may cause I. Q. disorders, reading disorders and learning disabilities, hearing disorders, attention loss, hyperactivity and other behavioral problems. Lead exposure causes health problems for pregnant women and may cause harm to the unborn baby. Arsenic can cause cancer. EPA regional manager Judith Enck says: "The plan we propose is an important step in our comprehensive strategy to clean up this complex place and protect people's health."

Scientists speculate that noise exposure will activate our natural flight or combat response as the evolution programed the human body to respond to the noise. When exposed to noise, stress hormone is released and heart rate and blood pressure rise even during sleep. The long-term effects of these responses include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and low birth weight. As with other types of pollution, several factors help explain why a particular social group is more susceptible to noise than other social groups. These factors include weak implementation of regulations in marginalized communities, lack of ability to participate in land use decisions, and environmental policies that can not adequately protect vulnerable communities. This could lead to poor communities, industrial facilities that generate noise at highway and airport locations.