How Loud is Too Loud for Kids?

Sounds at low-to-moderate levels won’t damage hearing. The harmful effects occur from repeated exposure to noise that is too loud. Learning about what can cause hearing loss can help you and your family avoid having noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

Damage to your hearing can happen immediately or through continued presence to the source. It can be permanent or temporary. It could affect one ear or both. Hearing loss can also happen during any age of life. Damage can occur from a young age up to the elderly.

Hearing loss with children can affect their abilities to learn during school. Parents can examine their child’s problems with the school by the grades they’re receiving. Failing test assignments could be caused by hearing loss. Taking your children to an audiologist for a hearing test is an excellent way to find out if they have hearing issues.

Types of Noise That Cause Hearing Loss

Sounds above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss with long or repeated exposure. It only takes limited time for hearing damage to occur from noises above 95 decibels. This kind of damage can result from being exposed to firearms at a shooting range without hearing protection. Exposure to continuous noise resulting from working around machinery inside a manufacturing plant can cause severe hearing damage.

Children can be affected by NIHL from being exposed to harmful noises without adequate hearing protection. Riding recreational vehicles, snowmobiles and motorcycles are some causes of hearing loss with kids. Listening to loud music through headphones can affect their hearing.

Attending concerts or playing an instrument in the high-school band can cause hearing difficulty. Sports events in a stadium can cause your children hearing problems from long exposure to crowd noise. Children helping out at home by mowing the yard or operating a leaf blower without protection can have hearing loss.

Parents Can Manage Their Children’s Hearing Health

Protecting your children’s hearing should be started early. Your job as a parent is to provide for the safety and well-being of your children. Learning everything you can about hearing loss can help you take care of a potential health problem. Providing your children adequate hearing protection will ensure they won’t need to suffer from hearing difficulties.

Parents that hear a child’s music from their iPhone connected to earpieces from a few feet away is placing their child in jeopardy of potential hearing loss. They need to let their child know that the music being listened to through the device is loud enough to damage their hearing.

This is part of communication with your children on hearing health. You should explain to your children how they could prevent hearing loss. Furnish them with protection products to wear that can prevent them from having hearing loss problems. They need to learn from you how their hearing can be affected by the noise that surrounds them.

Hearing Protection for Children

Headphones and earbuds are available to consumers in volume-limiting styles to prevent children from damaging their hearing. Of course, most young kids don’t like to listen to music unless it can be played loud. You as a parent must insist they listen to your rules and what you buy for them.

Earmuffs are an excellent product to block out loud noise from crowds at sporting events, festivals and other events. They fit securely on your child’s head while remaining comfortable for them to wear. Adjustable headbands allow the earmuff to be fitted properly for size.

Earplugs are another popular product for parents to purchase in bulk. These products are inexpensive so losing a pair is not a serious problem. You can purchase them in a foam design that allows the plug to expand after insertion into the ear canal. As it expands, it will seal out all noise.

Rubber earplugs are connected to a string that can be worn around the neck when the product isn't being used. They are inserted into the ear canal by gently lifting the top of the ear upwards while pushing the plug into the ear canal.

All types of hearing protection products are available for children. They can be purchased at stores and on the Internet. Make hearing safety a priority with your children by wearing them as an example in any situation that hearing loss can happen.