It’s estimated that roughly ten per cent of the local
population suffers from some form of hearing loss, and
while there’s very little research connecting this figure to
a lifetime of noise pollution, logic and anecdotal evidence
suggests that it’s bound to have an impact. Hearing loss
can have a detrimental effect on a person’s ability to
communicate, their self-esteem and relationships. Children
with hearing loss suffer delays in reading and speaking,
especially if it is left untreated.
Non-auditory effects
Regardless of whether noise pollution damages a person’s
hearing, they may still experience adverse effects. Living
with noise, day in, day out, is guaranteed to raise a person’s
stress hormone levels, which can then have a negative
impact on blood pressure and the cardiovascular system.
Any parent will tell you that sleep deprivation is a form
of torture, and when your baby doesn’t sleep, your ability
to function is severely compromised. Noise that disrupts
sleep – your own or your child’s – can be detrimental to
short- and long-term memory and sleep patterns, leading to
fatigue and poor performance, not to mention the strain it
places on relationships.
A number of families reported having to move when
noise from nearby construction or renovations became
too much to bear. Kiri and Simon Jones have had this
experience, and the disruption and distress caused by
constant noise has forced them out of their home more than
once. “We’ve had to move five times during our 12 months
in Hong Kong, all due to renovations and the associated
noise pollution. It was impossible for our six-month-old son
to sleep at all during the day, so we chose to move in an
attempt to foster good sleeping patterns – which I’m sure
many parents would agree is essential at that age.”
Noise pollution is a huge problem in the US, too,
where an estimated five million children suffer from some
degree of noise-induced hearing loss. For this reason,
more research is being done on the harmful effects of
noise and studies have shown that children from noisier
neighbourhoods find it harder to concentrate, score
lower on tests, and show significant delays in language
and communication skills such as speaking, reading and
listening. They are also known to suffer from the same high
levels of stress hormones and elevated blood pressure as
their parents when exposed to constant high levels of noise.
Taking action
Over the last decade, the Hong Kong Government has
taken a number of steps to reduce the impact of noise
pollution on the local population. These “noise abatement
measures” include the erection of noise barriers along busy
roads and the provision of low-noise road surfaces in the
construction of all new high-traffic roads. Existing roads
are also being retrofitted with noise barriers and resurfaced
with low-noise materials. At present, the aim is to improve
noise conditions for around 90,000 residences across the
city. According to the GovHK website, other measures
specifically involve schools in the region and “in 1999 the
Government completed a $658 million program to insulate
more than 10,000 classrooms for 500,000 students.”
As one of the busiest airports in the world, aircraft
noise is also heavily controlled, with flights after 10pm
taking paths that avoid residential areas. There are also
laws that prevent construction early in the morning, late in
the day, and on Sundays and public holidays.
Reducing the impact
While it may not be possible for residents to control the
noise on the streets, there are simple steps you can take at
home to reduce noise and protect your children’s hearing
and mental well-being:
•
If possible, install double-glazed windows. The extra
layer of glass and the insulation it provides can reduce
noise from outside by 70 per cent.
•
Limit the amount of time your children spend on
noisy activities and listening to loud music through
earphones.
•
Teach your children to cover their ears and/or walk
away from loud noises.
•
If noisy situations can’t be avoided, ensure your
children wear appropriately sized protective earplugs
or headphones.
•
It may seem like a no-brainer, but try to find quiet
spaces for your children to relax in, especially for
learning and sleeping.
•
And finally, consult an audiologist and have your
child’s hearing tested regularly if you suspect they may
have hearing loss. Most newborn babies have their
hearing tested before leaving hospital, and maternal
and child health centres, as well as a number of private
providers, offer free or low-cost hearing tests.
April 2013
67