Here at RestorEar, we focus on bringing awareness to noise exposure and hearing protection as a way to combat hearing loss. That’s because an estimated 12.5% of children and adolescents and 17% of adults have suffered permanent damage to their hearing from excessive exposure to noise. But tools like earplugs and ReBound aren’t the only way to care for your hearing health, especially for young people. A recent literature review highlights a powerful but often overlooked tool in preventing hearing loss in children and teens: vaccination.

Many childhood infections like rubella and meningitis are well-known for causing permanent hearing damage. According to the WHO, 60% of childhood hearing loss could be prevented through public health measures such as vaccination. While vaccines for these illnesses are already recognized for their hearing-protective benefits, researchers at the Université de Montréal’s School of Public Health recently found that at least 26 infectious diseases linked to hearing loss could potentially be prevented through existing or future vaccines.

This review of scientific studies, published in March in Communications Medicine, revealed that despite the clear potential, there is very little research that directly measures how vaccines prevent hearing loss. Even more concerning, no studies were found from low- and middle-income countries, where the risk of infection-related hearing loss is highest. 

The takeaway? Vaccination is an underused strategy for hearing loss prevention, especially in regions that need it most. The investigators call for more targeted research and global investment to better understand and harness the hearing health benefits of vaccines.

Preventing infections through vaccines may also protect hearing. It's time to prioritize research and public health efforts to explore this important connection.

You can read the full literature review here and sign up for our newsletter for more research news.