Why is it harder to hear women’s and children’s voices? Perhaps you have noticed that some men claim they are unable to hear their wives speaking when they are detailing tasks to be done. Obviously, we are joking; however, there are many reasons why it becomes difficult to hear women’s and children’s voices. Let’s figure out why, and what you can do about it.

Understanding high-frequency hearing loss

Females and young individuals often have voices that are higher in pitch, and this can influence how clearly they are able to communicate for individuals with difficulty hearing high frequencies. It is the most common type of hearing loss.
Someone might report that they can hear soft sounds, but can’t understand why hearing their children or grandchildren is challenging. The typical frequency range for women is between 165 and 255 Hz, while for men it is between 85 and 180 Hz.

High-frequency hearing loss can make it difficult to hear consonants in speech, including t, th, ch, soft c, s, sh, f, and k, which cause speech to sound jumbled.

Here are a few other sounds that might be hard to detect or hear clearly.

• Chirping birds
• Alarms
• Whistling
• High-frequency musical instruments like a flute

What causes high-frequency hearing loss?

This problem can be an element of age-related hearing loss. Moreover, damage to the small, hair-like sensory cells located in the inner ear can result in increased difficulty in perceiving high-frequency sounds.

If you frequented loud concerts and had excessive noise exposure from work or the environment, it can be a factor. Other factors that increase risk include heredity, specific medicines including aspirin, chemotherapy medications, and antibiotics. Cardiovascular disease is also connected.

If kids have high-frequency hearing loss, it can impede their speech and language skill development. For older adults, it can include the risk of dementia, depression, and injury, causing falls.

Treatments for high-frequency hearing loss

There is no cure for high-frequency hearing loss, but getting hearing aids helps boost high-pitched sounds, making them clearer and crisper. A hearing specialist can set your hearing aids at the right setting for you.

Attending a business meeting, using the phone, having meals, or talking with your grandchild can be enhanced. Most modern hearing devices can stream to your mobile phone and come outfitted with directional microphones for accurate sound customization. Your wife will be pleased as an added benefit.

Schedule a consultation if you believe you might be experiencing hearing issues at high frequencies.