Secondhand smoke linked to hearing loss in teens

Secondhand smoke is a menace to everyone exposed to it. Besides respiratory infections and lung cancer, it may lead to hearing loss in adolescents.

A study published Monday examined data from 1,533 kids ages 12 to 19 who underwent hearing tests as well as blood tests to check their levels of cotinine, an indication of tobacco smoke exposure. The study participants were not smokers.

The scientists, from New York University Langone Medical Center, found that kids who were exposed to secondhand smoke had higher rates of both low-frequency and high-frequency hearing loss. The study showed a correlation between higher cotinine levels and a greater degree of hearing loss. Most of the kids did not realize they had some degree of hearing loss.

It’s not clear how secondhand smoke may reduce hearing capacity. Exposure to secondhand smoke is known to raise the risk of ear infections, which may lead to hearing loss. It’s also possible that toxins in smoke may cause some dysfunction in the Eustachian tubes.

This study doesn’t prove secondhand smoke causes hearing loss. But, the authors wrote: “Should the findings of this study be corroborated, adolescents exposed to secondhand smoke may be at risk for hearing loss, and prudent policy may dictate that they undergo hearing screening. ... In homes where there is active smoking, parents and caretakers should be made aware of risks to hearing in their children.”

The study appears in the Archives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

Return to Booster Shots blog.