Children can often perceive sounds that adults can no longer hear due to the ability of their ears to detect a wider range of sound frequencies. With age, hearing ability gradually decreases, making high-pitched sounds less audible to adults.
Children have young ears with intact and fresh hair cells. These tiny cells, located in the cochlea, allow for the perception of a wide range of high-pitched sounds and high frequencies. At birth, one can sometimes hear up to about 20,000 Hz, which explains why children easily pick up on those annoying little whistles or very high tones that adults no longer notice at all. To put it simply: the older we get, the more these delicate little cells struggle to pick up on these super high sounds. As a result, kids sometimes enjoy using inaudible ringtones for their parents or teachers. Convenient for flying under the radar of adults!
As we age, the hair cells in the inner ear, which are responsible for transmitting sounds, begin to function less effectively or gradually die off. These cells are essential for capturing high-frequency sounds, acting like a filter that slowly wears down with age. Over time, hearing a high-pitched sound clearly becomes more difficult. This phenomenon, known as presbycusis, often starts subtly in one's thirties or forties and then intensifies over the years. That’s why a child who can hear the very high-pitched whine of a television on in another room sometimes astonishes their parents or grandparents, who can hear absolutely nothing.
Inside each ear, there are sensory cells called hair cells that are highly sensitive to sound vibrations. In children and young adults, these small cells are numerous, intact, and in good shape, allowing them to easily pick up very high-pitched sounds known as high frequencies. However, with age, these hair cells naturally degrade or gradually die, and our bodies cannot replace them. Fewer functioning hair cells means that high-pitched sounds become increasingly difficult to hear as we age. The delicate internal structures of the ear (membranes and auditory nerves) also undergo this aging process, gradually reducing the range of audible sound. Therefore, children have a sort of "brand new" ear capable of hearing sounds that adults simply can no longer detect.
Our ears live throughout the day in a constant sound bath: music in headphones, traffic noise, TV in the background at home. These seemingly harmless habits have a cumulative effect: our auditory cells, sensitive to high-frequency sounds, gradually wear out. Regular or prolonged exposure to high sound levels, such as during concerts or extended listening at high volumes, accelerates this phenomenon. In children, who have only had a few years of intense sound exposure, these precious cells generally remain intact, allowing them to perceive very high sounds that are imperceptible to adults whose ears are already "worn" by ambient noise.
Acoustic experiments show that children clearly perceive sounds at high frequencies (around 18,000 to 20,000 Hz) that most adults can no longer detect. Scientific tests have observed that sensitivity to high frequencies begins to significantly decline as early as the twenties, often without individuals noticing. Some studies indicate that this hearing loss can even start by the end of adolescence if exposure to ambient noise (headphones, concerts, road traffic) is particularly intense. Several researchers also emphasize a notable difference between urban and rural environments, with faster auditory wear among those regularly exposed to the daily urban noise. In short, kids maintain their auditory advantage simply because they haven't had the time to wear out their precious hair cells too much.
The gradual loss of high-frequency hearing in adults is called "presbycusis"; it is largely due to the degradation of the sensitive hair cells located in the inner ear.
In most mammals, such as dogs and cats, the ability to hear high-frequency sounds far surpasses that of humans: they can perceive sounds up to 40,000 or even 60,000 Hz.
Some retailers use ultra-high frequency sounds to prevent teenagers from lingering too long in front of their store, a controversial method that some consider discriminatory towards young people.
The maximum frequency audible to a human gradually decreases after the age of 25, averaging from 20,000 Hz in childhood to around 12,000 Hz by the age of 50.
These devices specifically exploit this auditory difference. They generate high-frequency sounds that are primarily audible to young people in order to deter them from lingering or gathering in certain specific areas without disturbing adults.
Once the hair cells in the inner ear are damaged, they do not regenerate, making complete recovery impossible. Nevertheless, the use of medical or auditory devices can help to partially compensate for these losses.
Limit exposure to loud noises such as headphones at very high volume or concerts without protection. Appropriate hearing protection like headphones or earplugs specifically designed for children is recommended during noisy events.
Using in-ear headphones frequently at excessive volumes can have a cumulative effect on auditory health, accelerating fatigue and the deterioration of auditory cells in the long term.
In general, the loss of higher frequency hearing begins gradually around the ages of 18 to 20. However, this varies significantly among individuals and their exposure to noise.
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