There are so many different reasons that one loses hearing. Ear infections and earwax buildup are some of the causes and are totally treatable.
My mom (god bless her nearly 70 year old soul) has had problems with this for many years, and it's NOT because she doesn't clean her ears out, she just has excessive wax buildup that has to be removed by the Doctors. In fact she got a treatment this morning and came home complaining that the birds were singing too loud.

(yea I live in South Florida and they sing in winter too)
Not sure what young Alex's remedy was (glad he got it)....but he'll no doubt let us know.
But NOW he knows why the folks were always telling him to "turn that music down! dammit!"
