Noise pollution hurts children's HEALTH AND LEARNING

Exposure to high levels of noise causes hearing loss; stress and mental health disorders; sleep disturbances, and impairs cognitive functioning

- ARUNA RAGHURAM

In India's crowded cities and towns, noise is omnipresent.

Horns of vehicles blaring in thick traffic, sounds of machinery and drilling on construction sites, the rush of trains, trams, and aircraft, ambulance sirens, vendors using loudspeakers, religious celebrations and festivals... there's no escaping noise pollution.

Indoors in homes, sources of noise pollution include televisions, music systems, household appliances, and air-conditioning units, among others.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines noise pollution as "unwanted or harmful sound that can adversely affect human health, environmental quality, and overall wellbeing". It highlights that exposure to high levels of noise causes hearing impairment; stress and mental health disorders; sleep disturbances, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and impairs cognitive functioning. In particular, noise pollution adversely impacts children, as their developing body organs and systems are more sensitive to environmental stressors.

It impairs their cognitive abilities manifested as learning difficulties, memory problems, and poor attention spans; damages speech and language development; causes stress and anxiety; disrupts sleep and results in noise-induced hearing loss.