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What Did You Say, Mom?

How many times did your parents ask you to turn down the volume on the television or the radio when you were growing up? Why did they do that? Well… sometimes it might have been because they couldn’t hear themselves think over the noise or maybe they weren’t all that crazy about what you were listening to or watching. However, they may have been concerned about your hearing and the possibility of hearing loss, and rightfully so.

But what about today’s kids? You know, the ones who are listening to music on their iPods and computers through those bud ear phones? The ones who attend a rock concert every month? The ones who drive their cars with the radio blasting? What about their hearing or more than likely, their probable hearing loss?

There are a number of sound factors that contribute to hearing loss, including volume, duration and pitch. Volume is measured in decibels (dB). Normal conversation is generally in the 60 dB range. Exposure to sounds over 85 dB for longer than eight hours per day is dangerous. Listening to loud music through a headset (110 dB) or attending a rock concert (120 dB) can begin to cause damage to your child’s hearing, sooner rather than later.

Noise pitch or frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz). The sound of the human voice ranges from 300 to 4,000 Hz. Noise-induced hearing loss can begin to occur at a pitch of about 2000-4000 Hz. When it begins, high frequencies are often lost first. This explains why people with hearing loss often have difficulty hearing the high-pitched voices of women and children. High frequency hearing loss can also distort sound, making speech difficult to understand, even when it can be heard.

So… as a parent, what can you do to protect your child’s hearing? First of all, you can explain the risks of noise-induced hearing loss and share your concerns. You can encourage your child to take frequent “music breaks” to give their ears some “down time.” You can also remind your child to turn down the volume on their mP3 player or car stereo; if you can hear the music coming out from the ear buds connected to their mP3 player – it’s too loud. Remind your child that if he or she is at a party or in an enclosed space where he or she has to shout to be heard, the noise level is definitely too loud.

One of the best ways to protect your child’s ears is to encourage the use of ear plugs. Your child may not realize it, but noise-induced hearing loss can result from playing band instruments and video games, from riding off-road vehicles and snowmobiles, and from operating lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and power tools. Ear plugs can cut out as much as 25 dB of sound, which can be the difference between a harmful noise level and a safe one.

Have your child’s hearing checked annually to determine any differences in hearing ability. Noise-induced hearing loss isn’t curable, but it is 100% preventable with early intervention.