More than 1,500 students from six D.C. metropolitan schools are attending concerts by children’s music artists this week. The concerts are part of “Buds in the Schools Week,” a new initiative by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The goal of the campaign is to show children how to use audio technology safely.
“We want children to use their personal audio devices responsibly,” said Anne Oyler, an ASHA audiologist. “To respect their ears and know that noise-induced hearing loss is something that is permanent.”
A survey conducted by ASHA said nearly 10 million Americans experience hearing loss as a result of noise exposure. Oyler said good listening habits are best taught at a young age.
“They [children] won’t notice hearing loss for a long time and children are more receptive,” said Oyler. “It’s a good time in their lives to hit them with this message.”
The six concerts feature children folk music artists Cathy and Marcy in the morning and Billy Jonas in the afternoon. “Buds in the Schools Week” runs through May 29 and will be in Philadelphia in November. See the ASHA website for information.