Journal of Nippon Medical School: Vol.71 No.1 page.005

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ArticleTitle The Effect of Noise on the Health of Children

AuthorList Tomoyuki Kawada

Affiliation Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School

Language EN

Volume 71

Issue 1

Year 2004

Page 5-10

Received October 3, 2003

Accepted October 31, 2003

Keywords noise, health effect, children

Abstract The effects of noise on health, especially that of children, were reviewed.
(1) From the point of view of disturbance of daily living, subjective recognition of "noisiness" is an important issue in relation to the study of noise. Concerning the effects of airplane noise on school children, while no effects on the hearing level were detected, a significant increase in the complaint of "noisiness" was observed.
(2) Exposure of pregnant women to airplane noise was found to be associated with a decrease in the body weight of newborn babies. Moreover, the height of 3-year-old boys and girls was found to be significantly decreased in association with increase in the environmental noise.
(3) Noise levels that seemed to have some influence on the sleep of adults did not affect the sleep of children.
(4) In a group of children living in noisy districts exhibiting poor academic performance, the academic performance seemed to become progressively worse as the school grade advanced.
(5) No consensus has been arrived at in regard to headphone-induced hearing impairment.
Researches and studies effective enough to influence policy decisions must be continually conducted in the future, with appropriate control for related factors.

Correspondence to Correspondence to Tomoyuki Kawada, Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
kawada@nms.ac.jp

ArticleTitle	The Effect of Noise on the Health of Children
AuthorList	Tomoyuki Kawada
Affiliation	Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School
Language	EN
Volume	71
Issue	1
Year	2004
Page	5-10
Received	October 3, 2003
Accepted	October 31, 2003
Keywords	noise, health effect, children
Abstract	The effects of noise on health, especially that of children, were reviewed. (1) From the point of view of disturbance of daily living, subjective recognition of "noisiness" is an important issue in relation to the study of noise. Concerning the effects of airplane noise on school children, while no effects on the hearing level were detected, a significant increase in the complaint of "noisiness" was observed. (2) Exposure of pregnant women to airplane noise was found to be associated with a decrease in the body weight of newborn babies. Moreover, the height of 3-year-old boys and girls was found to be significantly decreased in association with increase in the environmental noise. (3) Noise levels that seemed to have some influence on the sleep of adults did not affect the sleep of children. (4) In a group of children living in noisy districts exhibiting poor academic performance, the academic performance seemed to become progressively worse as the school grade advanced. (5) No consensus has been arrived at in regard to headphone-induced hearing impairment. Researches and studies effective enough to influence policy decisions must be continually conducted in the future, with appropriate control for related factors.
Correspondence to	Correspondence to Tomoyuki Kawada, Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan kawada@nms.ac.jp