Noise pollution and its overlooked impact on child and adolescent health

Noise exposure is rising across modern childhood, yet its effects remain underestimated in paediatric practice. This article synthesizes evidence showing that noise pollution impairs development, learning, and hearing, contributing to lifelong inequality. Children, with developing auditory and cognitive networks, are uniquely vulnerable. By reframing noise as a modifiable determinant of health, we highlight opportunities for paediatricians to influence safer listening, improve classroom and clinical soundscapes, and champion policies that protect young ears and minds. Creating child-centred soundscapes is both urgently needed and entirely achievable.