Turn the music down theme of Deaf Awareness Week

Drop the volume to help prevent long term hearing loss.

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Turning down loud music and taking regular breaks from headphones and earplugs are simple ways to help prevent long term hearing loss.

Disability Issues Minister Ruth Dyson is welcoming this year's Deaf Awareness Week (24 - 30 September 2007) message, which comes soon after a workplace noise awareness campaign run by the Department of Labour.

New research conducted by the National Foundation for the Deaf has found that of those surveyed, 7 out of ten under the age of 30 are experiencing symptoms of hearing damage after listening to loud music - and are not taking steps to prevent it.

"The message from the Foundation and from the Department of Labour is simple and important: drop the volume. This applies whether listening to music through headphones or if you are a bar owner playing loud music; the long term consequences of repeatedly listening to loud music can be very serious," said Ruth Dyson.

For more information about Deaf Awareness Week go to www.nfd.org.nz