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DR. WALLACE: I am a single parent of an 11-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. I had a lot of problems as a teen because my parents were super lenient in controlling me. Let's say I could do almost anything that I wanted with no questions asked.…Read more.
Give Intelligent Young Women a Break
DR. WALLACE: I'm angry that you encourage all girls, even the mentally, emotionally and physically mature young women who happen to be teenagers, not to get involved with older guys. You are dead wrong in your assumption that older guys and teenage …Read more.
Open and Honest Conversation Is Paramount
DR. WALLACE: Please tell me what to do. I'm 20, married three years and the mother of a 2-year-old son. I love my husband very much, but I'm lonely and depressed. My husband works 12 to 16 hours, 6 days a week. I have no friends, no job and no time …Read more.
My Friend's Mother Helps Her Cheat
DR. WALLACE: We have homework four days a week in world history. I do all my homework by myself, but my best friend's mother helps her with hers. I average a B on my homework, but my friend averages an A. I don't believe this is fair. Both of us are …Read more.
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Loud Music Damages HearingDR. WALLACE: I am a drummer in a start-up heavy metal band. We practice in my uncle's empty warehouse. At times we can be pretty loud, but fortunately, we're in an area with many empty factories and no people. My parents want me to wear earplugs when we practice. I tried them, but they threw me off my beat, so I abandoned them. I'm 17 and can hear perfectly. I know some people say that loud music can cause hearing problems, but I've never known anyone who suffers from listening to loud music. There are hundreds of rock and metal bands, and I have yet to hear of any band member suffering from hearing difficulties. Have you? If you have, I promise I'll use my plugs when I play. — Rocky, Denver. ROCKY: I have received several letters from readers who blame loud music for hearing problems. The following letter from a former member of a rock band should enlighten you on the dangers of loud music. Be ready to plug your ears! DR. WALLACE: I'm a 24-year-old musician who has just completed a degree in jazz arranging and would like to address a modern problem — loud music and hearing damage. When I first began playing with rock bands in high school, we all played at extreme volume without any type of hearing protection. Earplugs were uncool. No musician would be caught dead wearing them. I also listened to loud music through earphones and car stereos, at rehearsals, in clubs and at rock concerts. For eight years, I was immersed in loud music — and now I'm paying the price. I now suffer from severe hearing difficulties (tinnitus and hyperacusis).
I'm writing in the hope of educating your readers about a danger that is far too often overlooked. I cringe every time I see a carload of teenagers with the radio blasting out the beat. I wish I could tell them they're ruining their hearing. Perhaps my letter can do that. I'm not an old man or a middle-aged teacher. I'm only 24, a former rock bass player who stands to lose one of my precious senses. I appeal to all teenagers, especially the budding musicians, to take great care in protecting your hearing. I only wish I had. — Joe, Tuscaloosa, Ala. JOE: Thanks for your comments. It's important for teens to learn from those who have "been there and done that." Experience is a wonderful and effective teacher. Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM
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