Exposure to typical ambient noise levels (e.g., from highways, railways, and roads) is correlated with multiple negative mental health indices in school children, including anxiety, depression, and poorer classroom behavior. This correlation between mental health and ambient noise is particularly pronounced in children with early biological risks.

State University of New York at Buffalo

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Children are still developing both physically and cognitively, there is a possible risk that exposure to noise may have irreversible negative consequences for them

- Cognition

- Motivation

- Cardiovascular effects

- Endocrine disturbance

- Noise annoyance

Noise and non-auditory health effects in children

Childhood exposure to variations in acoustic stimuli can impact individuals later in life, potentially contributing to abnormal acoustic experiences in adulthood, such as tinnitus, hyperacusis, and hidden hearing loss. However, the mechanisms behind these long-term effects remain poorly understood.

Impact of Early Abnormal Acoustic Activity on Adulthood Hearing

- The research evidence suggests that chronic exposure to noise affects cognitive functions involving central processing and language comprehension.

- Noise-exposed children have difficulties in concentrating in comparison with children from quieter school.

- Children exposed to chronic environmental noise have been found to have poorer auditory discrimination, speech perception,  poor reading ability and poorer memory requiring high processing demands.  

Cognition

In the Los Angeles Airport Study, chronic exposure to aircraft noise was found to be associated with raised systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Cardiovascular effects

In the cross-sectional study at the old airport, endocrine levels were significantly higher in the noise-exposed children, indicating raised stress levels. 

Endocrine disturbance

In London, child-adapted, standard self-report questions48,80 were used to assess annoyance and showed higher annoyance levels in noise-exposed children.

Noise annoyance

  In the Los Angeles Airport Study, children exposed to chronic aircraft noise were less likely to solve a difficult puzzle involving a success or failure experience and were more likely to give up. 

Motivation of Children Following Exposure to Chronic Aircraft Noise

Relationship Between Ambient Noise and Children's Mental Health

Noise and Noise Sensitivity is negatively associated with the mental health of children and adolescents, but socioeconomic status should be  considered. 
- Highly associated with internalizing, externalizing, and total behavioral problems
- Low-income groups: degree of association with problem behaviors was higher
- Relationship between noise sensitivity and externalization problems disappeared in the high-income group.

Noise and noise sensitivity

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Types of Hearing Loss. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilties. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/types.html

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