Your child’s blaringly loud toy might be more than just aggravating. It could harm their hearing. Unlike other safety aspects for toys, sound level is not regulated in the United States and manufacturers are not pressured to follow even basic standards when it comes to noise. In fact, twenty of this year's toys tested by Sight and Sound Hearing Association can cause hearing loss within fifteen minutes.
It has been shown that some children's toys create noises in excess of 120 decibels—a measurement of sound. That’s louder than the siren from an ambulance. Sounds greater than 85 db listened to for more than fifteen minutes can cause childhood hearing loss, so it seems unbelievable that some toys have been measured at 129 db. That’s not even reasonably safe as each increase of ten means it’s ten times more damaging. These explosively loud sounds create greater difficulties when listened to for longer periods or at closer distances—as children are known to do.
The admonition, “Too loud, too long, too close” is used by the National Institute of Health to create awareness around the only preventable type of hearing loss—noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Government programs and campaigns raise awareness, but without regulations it’s up to parents to beware noisy toys and to guard their children’s hearing.
How does noise induced damage to hearing happen? Inside the ear are small, delicate hairs that conduct sounds. Injury to these hair cells can come from exposure, sudden or prolonged, to loud noises, which can damage these important noise conducting hair cells. This can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss. Toys that talk—pretend phones, talking dolls, toy-computers, walkie-talkies, toy tools that produce realistic work sounds, toys that produce sirens or whistles are just a few of the dangers. Below are a few steps parents can take to protect children from hearing loss due to toys:
Regular visits to an audiologist-- like visits to an eye doctor will help children keep their hearing fitness. Let’s spread the word about this issue. It’s time to make people aware of the third largest health problem in the nation—hearing loss and all the noisy culprits that could be lurking in your child’s toy-box right now.
If you'd like to learn more, see your hearing health provider. If you need help finding a hearing health provider click HERE to be connected with the largest network of trusted hearing health professionals in the nation!
