Children can have very delicate ears, but they are often exposed to loud noises that could cause permanent damage to their hearing. Noise-related hearing loss is irreversible, so it’s essential to take steps to protect them from loud noises and preserve their hearing. Prolonged exposure to sounds over 80 decibels, which is about as loud as someone shouting, is enough to cause hearing loss.
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Looking after your own hearing is important, but children can be even more sensitive to noise. Learn more about how to protect their hearing with these tips.
- Buy a set of ear defenders. These are usually a set of headphones that are comfortable for your child to wear. The ear defenders should be worn at any loud event, such as sports matches, concerts or firework displays. They’ll still be able to hear and enjoy what’s going on, but they won’t be getting the full decibel level.
- Watch the volume on their music devices. If your child likes to listen to music on headphones, double check the volume that they’re listening at. They should be able to still hear external sounds even while listening on headphones. If they can’t, it’s too loud.
- Turn music off in the car. Listening to music in the car for extended periods can cause hearing damage. Listening to music together while driving is fine, but on long journeys, turn it off occasionally and talk or play car games instead. Car games can be a great way to pass the time on long car trips, and have the bonus of not damaging the ears.
- Turn the TV down. If you have to raise your voice to be heard over the sound of the television, then it is too loud. Turn the volume down so you can be heard clearly and to reduce the risk of hearing loss.
- Buy earplugs. Earplugs can be very useful for protecting children’s hearing. They can be worn when listening to music to protect their ears but are also useful for kids who are budding musicians themselves. If they play a loud instrument like drums or guitar, then you can give them earplugs to wear while they practice to avoid hearing loss.
- Take headphones breaks. If they use headphones a lot, whether to listen to music or to play video games, then set regular headphones breaks. Headphones can cause hearing loss as they release the sound much closer to the delicate ear drum. Ten minutes with the headphones off can be enough to rest their ears.
- Avoid noisy environments. The easiest way to protect your child from hearing loss is to avoid keeping them somewhere that is very loud, especially if you don’t have protection like earplugs or ear defenders with you.
- Test your child’s hearing. Children should have regular hearing tests as they grow up, but if you notice any signs of hearing loss between these tests, ask your audiologist for advice.
Hearing is very important, so help your children to protect theirs with these easy tips.
