Many children were also exposed to aircraft noise at home exposure to high levels of aircraft noise may affect children's reading skills, researchers claim. The Lancet study found each five decibel increase in noise level was linked to children being up to two months behind in their reading age, Forbes reported.
Aircraft noise might only have a small effect on the development of reading, but the effect of long-term exposure remains unknown. Exposure to aircraft noise was associated with impaired reading comprehension, even after factors such as socio-economic differences between schools were taken into account.
The researchers found a difference of around 20 decibels between children exposed to the lowest and highest levels of aircraft noise. They suggest that children exposed to noise learn to tune it out but this can mean they also tune out other external noise, such as teacher's instructions.
Increased levels of exposure to both aircraft and traffic noise were associated with additional stress in children and a reduced quality of life.
However, exposure to traffic noise alone did not have an effect on reading age and, unexpectedly, was found to improve recall in memory tests.
In practical terms, aircraft noise might only have a small effect on the development of reading, but the effect of long-term exposure remains unknown.
He said the results were relevant to the design and placement of schools in relation to airports and to the formulation of policy on noise and child health as well as the wider consideration of the effect of environmental factors on children's development.
Schools which already existed near to airports should be properly insulated to give children as much protection as possible from the effects of aircraft noise, said the researchers.
Children attending schools near the airport improved their reading scores and cognitive memory performance as the airport shut down, while children going to school near the new airport experienced a decline in testing scores.