EHS students experience 'One Day Without Sound'

Though "One Day Without Sound" is recognized on May 31, students at Enterprise High School experienced it on Monday, May 16.

The Miracle Ear Foundation, who provides hearing aids to people who cannot afford them, sponsors “One Day Without Sound."

Health Science students at EHS spent 24 hours with earplugs in their ears to provide students with an experience of living with hearing loss.

There are a number of causes of hearing loss. One cause is being in a noise-induced environment for extended periods of time, such as when working in a factory.

"Anybody that's around loud noises should wear ear protection," Ron White, one of three owners of the Enterprise Miracle Ear location, said. "Almost 75 percent of the population has some type of hearing aid, or they have hearing loss. It takes years for them to actually realize it."

White said it best to have a hearing test performed during a person's suggested annual physical.

"When you go to get a physical every year, you'll go in and there are very few doctors that will give you a hearing test," White said. "What you should do is actually go and get your ears checked. When you go to see your doctor for an annual physical, whatever your age is or whenever you see your doctor, request a hearing test."

White said Miracle Ear also provides free hearing tests for adults.

Teenagers and young adults often listen to loud music for extended periods of time, which can cause hearing loss later in life, according to White. He said he focused on high school students to show them how that affects their hearing.

"What happens is, they hear that all day long or however long they wear their ear buds, and the ear is just being stimulated," White said. "So they're decreasing their ability to hear over a long period of time. It affects your lifestyle. We're really trying to combat hearing loss in teenagers so they aren't patients later."

Student Bailee Taylor said she wore her earplugs for the 24 hours, except at work.

"When I was wearing them, it was kind of frustrating because people had to repeat themselves," Taylor said.

She said she listens to loud music in her car, and her day without sound showed her she did not want to experience hearing loss later in life.

Patrice Haynes said experiencing hearing loss affected her throughout the school day.

"My teacher was speaking loudly, but I couldn't hear her," Haynes said. She said she avoided talking on the phone throughout her experience.

Haynes said she listens to loud music through her ear buds and will turn her music down in the future.

Sean Dube wore his earplugs except when driving and sleeping. He said having a simple conversation was difficult with less of an ability to hear.

"It was definitely frustrating because it was hard to carry on a conversation with someone when you can't really hear them and other people are talking," Dube said. "Watching videos in class is hard; you have to focus more to hear what the people are saying in them."

"It was frustrating for people around you in general, when you can't hear all that well."

Dube said he wears his ear buds almost everyday, but he does not listen to loud music. He said he would still tell others to turn their music down in the future.

"It definitely helps me understand what it's like to have something like (hearing loss), how frustrating it can be, and what a relief to get something like a hearing aid just to hear normally," Dube said. "I really don't think it would be fun to have (hearing loss) for the rest of your life just because you wanted to listen to some loud music."