1 in 5 US teens have some hearing loss

From the Chicago Trib:

Teenagers aren't necessarily tuning out adults; they simply might not be able to hear them.

The proportion of teens in the United States with slight hearing loss has increased 30% in the last 15 years, and the number with mild or worse hearing loss has increased 77%, researchers said Tuesday.

One in every five teens now has at least a slight hearing loss, which can affect learning, speech perception, social skills development and self-image; one in every 20 has a more severe loss.