Snare drum doldrums.

• Position: STATELINE - Susceptibility of students in marching bands to hearing damage - Brief article

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Marching bands, which expose young ears to loud sounds, can cause irreparable hearing damage, according to Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital in Boston. Last year the National Association for Music Education issued a statement noting that music educators should recognize music as a cause of noise-induced hearing loss. An estimated 2 million students in the country play in middle- and...