Latest news with #ReneeAlmeida
The Guardian
22-02-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Filter trouble? Why audiologists worry noise-cancelling tech may impair hearing skills
They are prized for making the commute more bearable and shielding against the din of daily life. But noise-cancelling headphones have come under scrutiny after audiologists raised concerns that overuse might impair people's hearing skills. While the technology has clear benefits, not least in helping people listen to music at lower volume, some specialists suspect that constantly filtering out background noise may have unintended consequences. Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College healthcare NHS trust, has seen an uptick in adults coming to her clinic with hearing issues only for tests to suggest their hearing is fine. The problem is with their brain, not their ears. They might fail to locate where a sound is coming from, or struggle to follow a conversation on the train, in a bar or at a restaurant. The condition, known as auditory processing disorder (APD), is often diagnosed in children, so the rise in adults with similar issues struck Almeida as odd. Her hunch is that widespread use of noise-cancelling headphones could be the culprit. 'The brain is used to dealing with thousands of different sounds at the same time and it's always been able to figure out what is and isn't worth listening to. If a dog barks outside, in a split second I recognise that it's a dog barking and I don't really care,' she says. 'With noise cancelling, you're giving your brain only one source of sound, be it a podcast or music. One source. There's nothing else for your brain to worry about.' Excessive use of noise-cancelling headphones could impair the developmental process by which children learn to attend to sounds, Almeida says. For adults, it could make their brains lazy, just as muscles weaken without exercise. In both cases, she says, people could struggle to extract speech from the hubbub around them. There is no scientific evidence that noise-cancelling headphones cause APD. Nor is there any robust data showing a rise in the condition. But Almeida believes the question warrants attention. 'Studies definitely need to be done,' she says. 'The research should focus on the effects of extended use, especially in young people.' APD affects about three to five per cent of school-age children. It has been linked to low birth weight, but also chronic middle ear infections. In older adults, the condition can be triggered by stroke or head trauma. In many cases, the cause is never clear. Dr Cheryl Edwards, an audiologist at Boston children's hospital, said children with APD could struggle to hear in classrooms, have difficulty working out where sounds are coming from, and miss nonverbal cues such as the shift in tone that flags sarcasm. Reading and spelling can also suffer. 'We certainly see academic issues,' she says. Whether cases are rising is harder to say, however. Auditory processing has long been a speciality within a speciality, Edwards says. And while referrals have risen with better awareness, there aren't reliable records to measure any trend against. According to Harvey Dillon, a professor of auditory science at the University of Manchester, there is no doubt that listening experience affects our ability to segregate 'wanted speech' from background noise. He says children improve at using spatial cues to home in on sound sources from the age of five to 14 years old. But disrupting what is heard can be more problematic for children than adults. If a child has repeated ear infections before the age of five, they can find it hard, later on, to focus on sounds from one direction while suppressing those from another. Surprisingly, Dillon says, many don't catch up once their infections are behind them. Instead, they need to learn the skill through intensive training on apps such as Sound Storm or Soundiverse. Adults seem to be different. If a person wears a single earplug for a week, they will gradually relearn how to locate where sounds are coming from. When the earplug is removed, their ability dips again, but quickly recovers to its previous level. For Dillon, the idea that noise-cancelling headphones might be driving APD is a hypothesis yet to be tested. 'There is no research that I am aware of investigating a link between the use of noise-cancelling headphones and reduced auditory processing ability,' he says. Dillon cautions that loud music can damage neurons in the auditory system without affecting the thresholds measured in hearing tests. 'It may be that listening to loud music is the cause of the auditory processing problem, not the noise-cancelling feature,' he says. 'If so, noise cancelling could be a good feature, in that it allows one to listen to music, without interference from background noise, at a lower level.' Prof Dani Tomlin, the head of audiology and speech pathology at the University of Melbourne, says people who use noise-cancelling headphones for prolonged periods may find listening harder when they take them off. But she says 'the benefits should not be overlooked', for managing sensory inputs in neurodiverse people and helping individuals to listen to podcasts and movies on planes and trains. 'Instead of suggesting abandoning noise-cancelling headphones, we need more comprehensive research studies,' she adds. For now, Almeida recommends bone conduction headphones and hearing training. She urges patients to listen to radio debates and to take down the lyrics of rap songs when they are playing. 'There is immense plasticity in the brain,' she says. 'Make an effort to listen to what's being said.'
Telegraph
16-02-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Noise-cancelling headphones may be linked to rise in Gen Z neurological problems, experts fear
Noise-cancelling headphones are fuelling a rise in neurological disorders among Gen Z, experts fear. The explosion in use of the headphones, which block out external sounds, has led to an increase in hearing issues that are actually triggered by the brain, NHS audiologists have warned. Leading experts said they are seeing more young people being referred to them for apparent hearing issues, but on inspection discovering their hearing is normal and that the problem is neurological: their brain is struggling to process what it hears. This condition is called auditory processing disorder (APD). It is when the brain struggles to understand sounds or words, and in particular cannot differentiate them against background noise. This makes it hard for sufferers to engage in conversation during social situations or clearly hear instructions at work or school. They might struggle with fast talkers or unfamiliar accents, and the condition has historically been linked to childhood brain injury, ear infection or a faulty gene. But the growing prevalence of this phenomenon has led some experts to blame the surging popularity of noise-cancelling headphones with the brain unlearning how to differentiate – and then block out – background noise. Hearing and listening Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said she had seen an increase in young people being referred, and that it was important to hear a diversity of sounds so the brain can decide what is important to focus on. 'There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can see that listening skills are suffering,' she told the BBC. APD is more common in neurodiverse people, or those who have suffered from a brain injury or had a middle-ear infection as a child. But more patients without these prerequisites are presenting with the disorder and audiologists are wondering if other factors, such as noise-cancelling headphones, are behind it. The headphones, which endeavour to block out external noise for users, can be useful for some people and in some situations they serve to protect them from loud noises. But the level of acoustic seal can vary from product to product and the experts believe they may also be untraining the brain in how to naturally block out background noise. Filtering out noises Claire Benton, vice president of the British Academy of Audiology, suggested that by blocking out everyday sounds such as train noise or car beeps, the brain may 'forget' to filter the noises out. 'You have almost created this false environment by wearing those headphones of only listening to what you want to listen to. You are not having to work at it,' she told BBC. 'Those more complex, high-level listening skills in your brain only really finish developing towards your late teens. So, if you have only been wearing noise-cancelling headphones and been in this false world for your late teens then you are slightly delaying your ability to process speech and noise,' she said. The Royal National ENT and Eastman Hospital is the only NHS provider in England offering a full APD assessment and the waiting list is nine months long. Prof Doris-Eva Bamiou, who carries out the assessments there, said it was partially down to the time it takes to diagnose APD. 'It is a costly service because it is not just an audiogram, the test can take up to two hours and it requires additional assessments. In adults I also refer them for a cognitive assessment and in children I may also need to speak to an educational psychologist.' Watching with subtitles It comes as the way people listen to music and watch videos or television has changed since the pandemic. More than three in five young adults aged 18 to 24 watch their favourite shows with subtitles on, according to one YouGov survey. Dr Amjad Mahmood, the head of audiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital, told the BBC there had been a 'significant increase in demand' for assessments at the hospital's clinic for under-16s. Treatment methods vary and often involve re-exposing the ears and brain to process words against a backdrop of noise. This can include app-based games, or microphones and low-gain hearing aids. Sophie, a 25-year-old administration assistant from London, was diagnosed with the condition after being told she doesn't listen, zones out, or is 'a bit ditsy'. 'Even though I can hear that there are noises going on, I can't listen to where the noise is coming from. I know it's the person's voice, I just can't really compute it quick enough,' she told BBC. She said all the words 'sound like gibberish' during lectures at university, which led to her watching them online with subtitles instead of attending in person. Her audiologist, who believes it was caused by wearing noise-cancelling headphones for five hours per day, is among those calling for more research into whether the condition is linked to overuse of the headphones.
MTV Lebanon
16-02-2025
- Health
- MTV Lebanon
Audiologists raise concern over headphone use in young people
Whether it's the echo of beeping tills in a supermarket or the hissing of a coffee machine in your local café, the brain is constantly working to decode hundreds of noises each day. But, for some, those background noises can become so overwhelming that they distract them from recognising voices or alerts. This is the reality for Sophie, a 25-year-old administration assistant from London, who is used to being told she doesn't listen, zones out, or is "a bit ditsy". "Even though I can hear that there are noises going on, I can't listen to where the noise is coming from. I know it's the person's voice, I just can't really compute it quick enough," she said. After a hearing test came back normal, Sophie met a private audiologist for further testing. She was eventually diagnosed with auditory processing disorder (APD), a neurological condition where the brain finds it difficult to understand sounds and spoken words. Her audiologist and others in England are now calling for more research into whether the condition is linked to overuse of noise-cancelling headphones. Having grown up on a peaceful farm in the countryside, it wasn't until a few years ago when Sophie started university in London that she noticed a change in her hearing - specifically trouble identifying where a sound was coming from. She rarely attended her university lectures in person, instead opting to watch them online and with subtitles. "All the words sounded like gibberish when I was in the actual lecture, and I was trying to hear," she said. It affected her social life too and Sophie would leave bars and restaurants early because of the "overwhelming noise". The cause of Sophie's APD diagnosis is unknown, but her audiologist believes the overuse of noise-cancelling headphones, which Sophie wears for up to five hours a day, could have a part to play. Other audiologists agree, saying more research is needed into the potential effects of their prolonged use. Five NHS audiology departments have told the BBC that there has been an increase in the number of young people referred to them from GPs with hearing issues - only to find their hearing is normal when tested and it is their ability to process sound that is struggling. APD is more common in neurodiverse people, those who have suffered from a brain injury or had a middle-ear infection as a child. However, more patients with APD are presenting outside of those categories, leaving audiologists to question if external factors, such as noise-cancelling headphones, are contributing. Hearing vs listening Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, says it is important to hear a diversity of sounds so the brain can decide what is important to focus on. Her team has seen an increase in the amount of young people referred for hearing services in the last year. She said: "There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can see that listening skills are suffering." Noise-cancelling headphones do have their benefits, particularly for long-term ear health where their soundproofing feature can prevent high frequency and loud noise from reaching and damaging the ear - even while listening to music. Lisa Barber, technology editor at Which?, said the devices had "exploded in popularity" in recent years. But the level of transparency can vary from model to model. "Some simply offer passive noise cancelling, where the acoustic seal between the headphones and your ears reduces nearby noise," she said. Others have a transparency mode that allows you to hear partial background noise. A false reality? But Claire Benton, vice-president of the British Academy of Audiology, suggests that by blocking everyday sounds such as cars beeping, there is a possibility the brain can "forget" to filter out the noise. "You have almost created this false environment by wearing those headphones of only listening to what you want to listen to. You are not having to work at it," she said. "Those more complex, high-level listening skills in your brain only really finish developing towards your late teens. So, if you have only been wearing noise-cancelling headphones and been in this false world for your late teens then you are slightly delaying your ability to process speech and noise," Benton suggests. For those experiencing difficulties with sound processing in England, APD care in the NHS is limited. A UK-wide survey from 2024, distributed by the BAA and ENT UK, the professional body representing ear, nose and throat surgery, found that only 4% of audiologists consider themselves to be well-informed on APD. And, for those who are 16 years and over, the Royal National ENT and Eastman Hospital is the only NHS provider in England offering a full APD assessment and the waiting list is nine months long. Prof Doris-Eva Bamiou, who carries out the assessments there, says this is partially down to the time it takes to diagnose APD. "It is a costly service because it is not just an audiogram, the test can take up to two hours and it requires additional assessments. In adults I also refer them for a cognitive assessment and in children I may also need to speak to an educational psychologist." Particularly after the pandemic, behaviours and engagement with visuals and audio has changed. This comes in part due to new products and technology, as well as increased anxiety in noisy environments after the lockdown. It is now common to see people walking outside wearing their noise-cancelling headphones and watching videos online with subtitles, despite perfectly hearing the sound. One YouGov survey showed that 61% of 18-24 year olds prefer to watch TV with the subtitles on. Dr Angela Alexander, audiologist and owner of APD Support, a private organisation, is among the audiologists calling for more research into the impact of noise-cancelling headphones on auditory processing, particularly in children. "What does the future look like if we don't investigate this link? There are a lot of well-meaning parents and teachers who think the answer to children having problems with noise is to wear ear plugs or having noise-cancelling headphones on." Dr Amjad Mahmood, the head of audiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital supported the call for more research. He said there had been a "significant increase in demand" for assessments at the hospital's large APD clinic for under-16s. "especially with difficulties noticed at school".
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Are noise-cancelling headphones to blame for young people's hearing problems?
Whether it's the echo of beeping tills in a supermarket or the hissing of a coffee machine in your local café, the brain is constantly working to decode hundreds of noises each day. But, for some, those background noises can become so overwhelming that they distract them from recognising voices or alerts. This is the reality for Sophie, a 25-year-old administration assistant from London, who is used to being told she doesn't listen, zones out, or is "a bit ditsy". "Even though I can hear that there are noises going on, I can't listen to where the noise is coming from. I know it's the person's voice, I just can't really compute it quick enough," she said. After a hearing test came back normal, Sophie met a private audiologist for further testing. She was eventually diagnosed with auditory processing disorder (APD), a neurological condition where the brain finds it difficult to understand sounds and spoken words. Her audiologist and others in England are now calling for more research into whether the condition is linked to overuse of noise-cancelling headphones. Having grown up on a peaceful farm in the countryside, it wasn't until a few years ago when Sophie started university in London that she noticed a change in her hearing - specifically trouble identifying where a sound was coming from. She rarely attended her university lectures in person, instead opting to watch them online and with subtitles. "All the words sounded like gibberish when I was in the actual lecture, and I was trying to hear," she said. It affected her social life too and Sophie would leave bars and restaurants early because of the "overwhelming noise". The cause of Sophie's APD diagnosis is unknown, but her audiologist believes the overuse of noise-cancelling headphones, which Sophie wears for up to five hours a day, could have a part to play. Other audiologists agree, saying more research is needed into the potential effects of their prolonged use. Five NHS audiology departments have told the BBC that there has been an increase in the number of young people referred to them from GPs with hearing issues - only to find their hearing is normal when tested and it is their ability to process sound that is struggling. APD is more common in neurodiverse people, those who have suffered from a brain injury or had a middle-ear infection as a child. However, more patients with APD are presenting outside of those categories, leaving audiologists to question if external factors, such as noise-cancelling headphones, are contributing. Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, says it is important to hear a diversity of sounds so the brain can decide what is important to focus on. Her team has seen an increase in the amount of young people referred for hearing services in the last year. She said: "There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can see that listening skills are suffering." Noise-cancelling headphones do have their benefits, particularly for long-term ear health where their soundproofing feature can prevent high frequency and loud noise from reaching and damaging the ear - even while listening to music. Lisa Barber, technology editor at Which?, said the devices had "exploded in popularity" in recent years. But the level of transparency can vary from model to model. "Some simply offer passive noise cancelling, where the acoustic seal between the headphones and your ears reduces nearby noise," she said. Others have a transparency mode that allows you to hear partial background noise. But Claire Benton, vice-president of the British Academy of Audiology, suggests that by blocking everyday sounds such as cars beeping, there is a possibility the brain can "forget" to filter out the noise. "You have almost created this false environment by wearing those headphones of only listening to what you want to listen to. You are not having to work at it," she said. "Those more complex, high-level listening skills in your brain only really finish developing towards your late teens. So, if you have only been wearing noise-cancelling headphones and been in this false world for your late teens then you are slightly delaying your ability to process speech and noise," Benton suggests. For those experiencing difficulties with sound processing in England, APD care in the NHS is limited. A UK-wide survey from 2024, distributed by the BAA and ENT UK, the professional body representing ear, nose and throat surgery, found that only 4% of audiologists consider themselves to be well-informed on APD. And, for those who are 16 years and over, the Royal National ENT and Eastman Hospital is the only NHS provider in England offering a full APD assessment and the waiting list is nine months long. Prof Doris-Eva Bamiou, who carries out the assessments there, says this is partially down to the time it takes to diagnose APD. "It is a costly service because it is not just an audiogram, the test can take up to two hours and it requires additional assessments. In adults I also refer them for a cognitive assessment and in children I may also need to speak to an educational psychologist." Particularly after the pandemic, behaviours and engagement with visuals and audio has changed. This comes in part due to new products and technology, as well as increased anxiety in noisy environments after the lockdown. It is now common to see people walking outside wearing their noise-cancelling headphones and watching videos online with subtitles, despite perfectly hearing the sound. One YouGov survey showed that 61% of 18-24 year olds prefer to watch TV with the subtitles on. Dr Angela Alexander, audiologist and owner of APD Support, a private organisation, is among the audiologists calling for more research into the impact of noise-cancelling headphones on auditory processing, particularly in children. "What does the future look like if we don't investigate this link? There are a lot of well-meaning parents and teachers who think the answer to children having problems with noise is to wear ear plugs or having noise-cancelling headphones on." Dr Amjad Mahmood, the head of audiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital supported the call for more research. He said there had been a "significant increase in demand" for assessments at the hospital's large APD clinic for under-16s. "especially with difficulties noticed at school". 'Having a hearing dog is like winning the lottery' Could solar-powered headphones be the next must-have? Study finds 18m people in the UK have hearing loss Treatment for APD can make a significant positive difference, with some patients able to make a full recovery. So-called "word in noise" training exercises on mobile apps have become a popular way of practising pulling speech from background noise. But training can vary and includes practice with auditory discrimination too, such as how to distinguish separate sounds in words like seventy and seventeen, and free and three. Microphones and low-gain hearing aids can also be provided to help the patient in certain situations, such as a meeting or classroom work, but adults outside the education system are not entitled to these products on the NHS. "Right now I can hear there is a fan above my head but my brain is telling me that is not something I need to worry about," says Dr Alexander, describing what is called auditory scene analysis. "It's the way we identify threats in our environment, so it makes sense to me that there would be an increase in anxiety if a person's brain no longer has those inputs helping tell them what is a concern and what is not." To improve this, Dr Alexander suggests reducing headphone use time and using the transparency mode which can amplify the background noise as well as wearing headphones that don't completely occlude or block the ears. Wayne Wilson, an associate professor in the school of health and rehabilitation sciences at The University of Queensland, says more research needs to be done on the possible link. However, he points out that doing controlled research with so many variables could prove tricky. "The devil is in the detail as the answer probably depends on which sounds, which scenes, which noise, which noise cancellation, what period of noise cancellation, what age of child, etc." Sophie is set to start treatment for her APD in the next few months, and feels excited for the future. "If me and my boyfriend go out to a bar, sometimes we will leave early because of the noise. It's nice to know maybe after this treatment, I will be able to go to busier places and handle it a bit better." Hearing loss Action Line APD Support
BBC News
16-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Audiologists raise concern over headphone use in young people
Whether it's the echo of beeping tills in a supermarket or the hissing of a coffee machine in your local café, the brain is constantly working to decode hundreds of noises each for some, those background noises can become so overwhelming that they distract them from recognising voices or is the reality for Sophie, a 25-year-old administration assistant from London, who is used to being told she doesn't listen, zones out, or is "a bit ditsy"."Even though I can hear that there are noises going on, I can't listen to where the noise is coming from. I know it's the person's voice, I just can't really compute it quick enough," she a hearing test came back normal, Sophie met a private audiologist for further testing. She was eventually diagnosed with auditory processing disorder (APD), a neurological condition where the brain finds it difficult to understand sounds and spoken audiologist and others in England are now calling for more research into whether the condition is linked to overuse of noise-cancelling headphones. 'Words sound like gibberish' Having grown up on a peaceful farm in the countryside, it wasn't until a few years ago when Sophie started university in London that she noticed a change in her hearing - specifically trouble identifying where a sound was coming rarely attended her university lectures in person, instead opting to watch them online and with subtitles. "All the words sounded like gibberish when I was in the actual lecture, and I was trying to hear," she affected her social life too and Sophie would leave bars and restaurants early because of the "overwhelming noise". The cause of Sophie's APD diagnosis is unknown, but her audiologist believes the overuse of noise-cancelling headphones, which Sophie wears for up to five hours a day, could have a part to audiologists agree, saying more research is needed into the potential effects of their prolonged NHS audiology departments have told the BBC that there has been an increase in the number of young people referred to them from GPs with hearing issues - only to find their hearing is normal when tested and it is their ability to process sound that is is more common in neurodiverse people, those who have suffered from a brain injury or had a middle-ear infection as a child. However, more patients with APD are presenting outside of those categories, leaving audiologists to question if external factors, such as noise-cancelling headphones, are contributing. Hearing vs listening Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, says it is important to hear a diversity of sounds so the brain can decide what is important to focus team has seen an increase in the amount of young people referred for hearing services in the last year. She said: "There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can see that listening skills are suffering."Noise-cancelling headphones do have their benefits, particularly for long-term ear health where their soundproofing feature can prevent high frequency and loud noise from reaching and damaging the ear - even while listening to Barber, technology editor at Which?, said the devices had "exploded in popularity" in recent years. But the level of transparency can vary from model to model. "Some simply offer passive noise cancelling, where the acoustic seal between the headphones and your ears reduces nearby noise," she said. Others have a transparency mode that allows you to hear partial background noise. A false reality? But Claire Benton, vice-president of the British Academy of Audiology, suggests that by blocking everyday sounds such as cars beeping, there is a possibility the brain can "forget" to filter out the noise."You have almost created this false environment by wearing those headphones of only listening to what you want to listen to. You are not having to work at it," she said."Those more complex, high-level listening skills in your brain only really finish developing towards your late teens. So, if you have only been wearing noise-cancelling headphones and been in this false world for your late teens then you are slightly delaying your ability to process speech and noise," Benton those experiencing difficulties with sound processing in England, APD care in the NHS is limited.A UK-wide survey from 2024, distributed by the BAA and ENT UK, the professional body representing ear, nose and throat surgery, found that only 4% of audiologists consider themselves to be well-informed on for those who are 16 years and over, the Royal National ENT and Eastman Hospital is the only NHS provider in England offering a full APD assessment and the waiting list is nine months Doris-Eva Bamiou, who carries out the assessments there, says this is partially down to the time it takes to diagnose APD. "It is a costly service because it is not just an audiogram, the test can take up to two hours and it requires additional assessments. In adults I also refer them for a cognitive assessment and in children I may also need to speak to an educational psychologist."Particularly after the pandemic, behaviours and engagement with visuals and audio has changed. This comes in part due to new products and technology, as well as increased anxiety in noisy environments after the lockdown. It is now common to see people walking outside wearing their noise-cancelling headphones and watching videos online with subtitles, despite perfectly hearing the sound. One YouGov survey showed that 61% of 18-24 year olds prefer to watch TV with the subtitles Angela Alexander, audiologist and owner of APD Support, a private organisation, is among the audiologists calling for more research into the impact of noise-cancelling headphones on auditory processing, particularly in children. "What does the future look like if we don't investigate this link? There are a lot of well-meaning parents and teachers who think the answer to children having problems with noise is to wear ear plugs or having noise-cancelling headphones on."Dr Amjad Mahmood, the head of audiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital supported the call for more research. He said there had been a "significant increase in demand" for assessments at the hospital's large APD clinic for under-16s. "especially with difficulties noticed at school". Treatment for APD can make a significant positive difference, with some patients able to make a full "word in noise" training exercises on mobile apps have become a popular way of practising pulling speech from background noise. But training can vary and includes practice with auditory discrimination too, such as how to distinguish separate sounds in words like seventy and seventeen, and free and and low-gain hearing aids can also be provided to help the patient in certain situations, such as a meeting or classroom work, but adults outside the education system are not entitled to these products on the NHS."Right now I can hear there is a fan above my head but my brain is telling me that is not something I need to worry about," says Dr Alexander, describing what is called auditory scene analysis."It's the way we identify threats in our environment, so it makes sense to me that there would be an increase in anxiety if a person's brain no longer has those inputs helping tell them what is a concern and what is not."To improve this, Dr Alexander suggests reducing headphone use time and using the transparency mode which can amplify the background noise as well as wearing headphones that don't completely occlude or block the ears. Limited research Wayne Wilson, an associate professor in the school of health and rehabilitation sciences at The University of Queensland, says more research needs to be done on the possible he points out that doing controlled research with so many variables could prove tricky. "The devil is in the detail as the answer probably depends on which sounds, which scenes, which noise, which noise cancellation, what period of noise cancellation, what age of child, etc."Sophie is set to start treatment for her APD in the next few months, and feels excited for the future. "If me and my boyfriend go out to a bar, sometimes we will leave early because of the noise. It's nice to know maybe after this treatment, I will be able to go to busier places and handle it a bit better."
