http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib ... llnuz.htmlGIRLS, BOYS AND NOISE
Children who live near noisy airports don't learn to read as quickly or remember as well as children who don't, a new European study finds.
Researchers studied more than 2,800 children in 89 primary schools near airports in Amsterdam, Madrid and London. They measured noise levels at each school, then administered tests of memory function and reading ability.
After correcting for socioeconomic differences between the schools, the scientists concluded that aircraft noise had a significant negative effect on reading, delaying comprehension by as much as two months in some schools.
The effect on memory was smaller but still significant.
The authors cite no conclusive cause for their findings but speculate that in learning to ignore irrelevant airplane noise, students also learn to tune out some relevant speech.
In addition, noise may affect general health or sleep patterns, which can interfere with learning.
Whatever the mechanisms may be, the researchers concluded that "schools exposed to high levels of aircraft noise are not healthy educational environments."
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A letter to the editor sent in today:
Tuesday's Union-Tribune Health Section contained
an item about the harmful effects of noise on children ("Girls, Boys and Noise"). Why don't you
report on the recent San Diego County Grand Jury
report entitled "Naval Training Center (NTC) San Diego. A Gift to the Citizens of San Diego." The
report addresses the issue of harmful effects of
noise on children and discusses recent decisions by the City of San Diego to allow K-12 schools
in the NTC noise impact area. The report can be
accessed at the Grand Jury
Report website:
http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/grandjury/reports.html.
