As awareness grows of the toll noise has on children's health and learning, some cities show the way to quieter roads and classrooms.
. As populations increase, so do the noise levels that form the urban soundscape. The UN has warned that urban noise pollution is becoming aincreasing traffic and crowded schools, cities have started introducing measures to tackle noise pollution, protect children's health, and prioritise pedestrians by improving inner city green spaces, reducing speed limits and introducing sound meters.
The Barcelona study was the first to investigate the impact of exposure to noise fluctuation. The researchers found that sudden fluctuations of noise, from traffic outside the classroom, such as car honks or engine revving, were more likely to distract children, and cause them to miss important information, even at a lower than average noise level.
Traffic noise can negatively impact children's cognitive function during the crucial stages of brain development Exposure to noise together with other factors that come from attending "a lower-resourced school in a lower-resourced area, can have a real knock-on effect to learning," says Kirkham.