NOISE LEVELS AND HEARING LOSS

Did you know that some toys are loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage over time, says Gail Whitelaw, Ph.D. president of the American Academy of Audiology. Prolonged exposure to sounds over 85 decibels (the level of noise associated with busy city traffic, for example) can pose a threat to a child’s hearing and some toys are much louder than that.

Cars and trucks with sirens can be some of the worst offenders, as are toy phones, microphones and instruments like horns and drums. Limit the amount of time children play with loud toys or remove the batteries. Before you purchase a toy that makes noise, listen to it by putting it up to your ear as a child might do.

Your child may be around loud noise anywhere.

COMMON NOISES THAT CAN CAUSE HEARING LOSS:

• Common sources of noise from loud appliances such as hair dryers, food processors, blenders; traffic or subway; or tools or equipment such as leaf blowers and lawn mowers.

• Recreational activities like rock concerts, snowmobiles, go-carts, or radio-controlled airplanes.

• Listening to music on a personal device, like an MP3 player, with the volume turned up too high.

THE SIGNS YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR CHILD IS DEVELOPING HEARING LOSS:

• Trouble hearing soft or faint sounds

• Normal conversation may sound muffled or unclear

• Ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus)

Your child’s inner ears may be damaged if he or she is around extremely loud noises or around loud noises for long periods of time. Noise-induced hearing loss is gradual and painless. Once the hearing nerve is destroyed, it is permanent.

Provide your child with a variety of quiet toys as well as loud toys, for example, puzzles, construction sets, board games, and action figures. If you think your child is experiencing a hearing problem, talk to your pediatrician can do a basic screening exam.

RESOURCE

Johns Hopkins Medical