Dr. David Baguley shared his most recent paper with Hyperacusis Research titled: “Prevalence and risk factors for reduced sound tolerance (hyperacusis) in children.”  There are a limited number of free downloads available. Dr. Baguley works in the Audiology Department of the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  A primary co-author, Amanda Hall, from the Children’s Hearing Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust in Bristol, UK is pictured below.  Dr. Baguley summarized the work with this description:

Amanda Hall

“Decreased sound tolerance in childhood is an under-researched area. This is a large scale survey of UK children aged 11 years, finding that 3.7% reported hyperacusis, and half of these children reported behavioral avoidance of sound. Hyperacusis was more common in boys, in families where the mother had a higher level of education, and in children where there had been a readmission to hospital in the first 4 weeks of life. A glimpse of potential physiological mechanisms is seen in data indicating higher otoacoustic emission amplitudes in children reporting hyperacusis, though the specific mechanism is as yet unknown. Hopefully this data will increase knowledge and interest in this area.”

Hyperacusis Research supports all epidemiological studies of hyperacusis as this prevalence data is critical when researchers apply for federal grants on hyperacusis.