Brain Development, Education

[MKTJ]

My family and I live in a single family neighborhood which abuts a highway.  Due to an expansion of this highway, my neighbors and I have been lobbying to obtaining a noise sound barrier which has been denied.  As we were researching information on the long term effects of noise pollution, we have been alarmed by the information uncovered regarding fetal development in a noisy environment, sensory integration issues, information which ties noisy environments to speach issues, difficulty with phonetic awareness, reading skill problems, reading comprehension difficulties and in general poor acedemic performance. Thirteen of forty eight children in my neighborhood have required early integration screening or services, or are recieving one form or another of Special Education Services.  This percentage, if accurate is grossly above average for community of fifty homes.  

*Please direct me to reference documents or websites that would give me additional information on noisy environments, brain development and learning.  I am worried about my children and their futures.

[MKTJ]

Yes, I have read the articles from the League of Hard Of Hearing and contacted the Noise Institute at Rutgers University.  What I was hoping to source were guides regarding medical references or medical specialists regarding noise and children.  Specifically, sensory integration and speach acquisition. Can anyone help?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

In light of the research you have already done, I may not be able to guide you in new directions. The League for the Hard of Hearing has published a number of resources re: the general topic you mention. You've likely seen some of their work. If not, you can reach them at:

http://www.org/noise/children/learning.htm

Also, this general topic has been a focus of people who are concerned about airport expansions and jet engine noise in residential areas. The New Jersey Institute of Technology, among others, has issued reports about this. You can reach them at:

http://www.jetnoise.org/noise_study.htm