Download Hearing loss from noise is on the increase, even among school

turn it down!
By Elena Keith*
Hearing loss from noise is on the increase, even among school-aged
children, but the good news is it can be prevented.
Think carefully
about your
decision to buy
a toy or a game
that emits a loud
noise. If a toy
sounds loud to
an adult, it’ll
sound much
louder to a child.
sound is actually TWICE as loud. And that
means it will take HALF as long to damage
your hearing. So an 88 dB sound will
damage your ears in only 4 hours. A 91 dB
sound will cause damage in 2 hours, and
so on.
So how do you spot an unsafe
sound level? These indications
should give you an idea:
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You have to raise your voice or shout
to be heard.
It’s hard to hear someone at arm’s
length from you.
You have pain, ringing or buzzing
in your ears after exposure.
Normal speech sounds muffled
or dull after exposure.
How does loud noise affect
my child?
Your children’s hearing can be damaged by
loud noises all too easily and the hearing
loss can be permanent. It’s called Noise
Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) and it can
happen slowly over time or in a split
second, depending on the volume of sound
your children are exposed to. However,
although the hearing damage can be
painless, progressive and permanent,
thankfully it is also preventable. The trick
is to recognise what volume of sound is
unsafe and take action to prevent damage.
Exposure to loud noises for too long can
damage fragile hair cells in the inner ear
– and once they’re damaged, they don’t
recover. People of all ages can develop
NIHL because even many recreational
activities can damage hearing, including
target shooting, hunting, motorbike riding,
woodworking, playing in a band, going to
nightclubs and attending rock concerts.
Harmful noises at home may be produced
by lawnmowers, leaf blowers, power tools,
noisy toys, iPods that are played too loud
and fireworks.
How loud is too loud?
Hearing can be damaged by various levels
of noise depending on how long you’re
exposed. Noise levels are measured in
decibels (dB). Your ears can handle up to
80 dB with no problems. But sounds over
85 dB can be dangerous, depending on
how long you’re exposed to them. And the
louder the sound, the less time you can
listen to it before it starts damaging your
hearing. For instance, it would take about
8 hours of exposure to an 85 dB noise for
ear damage to occur.
Decibels are a logarithmic scale, which
means an increase of just 3 dB means the
Research suggests that hearing damage is
occurring at younger ages and more often.
Even a mild hearing loss can lead to
difficulties with children’s educational,
emotional, social and speech development
that can have far-reaching consequences
as they get older.
Children with hearing loss
can have:
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Difficulty speaking and
understanding speech.
Problems in academic achievement.
Lower scores in verbal tests.
Problems following directions.
Greater need for extra support
in the classroom.
Reluctance to participate in
activities with others.
Feelings of isolation, exclusion, embarrassment, confusion
and helplessness.
How can I protect my
child’s ears?
NIHL is 100% preventable – but only if
individuals understand the hazards of noise
and practice hearing safety in everyday life.
Teach your children to recognise when
noise is too loud, and then either turn it
down, walk away, or protect their ears. If
sound levels are unsafe, you can prevent
permanent hearing damage by following
a few simple steps:
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If you can, turn down the volume
or turn it off.
Avoid the noise source.
Limit exposure to noise.
Don’t buy noisy appliances,
equipment or toys.
Wear hearing protection.
Noisy toys
Children tend to hold toys or games closer
to their ears because of the short reach
of their arms. Think carefully about your
decision to buy a toy or a game that emits
a loud noise. If a toy sounds loud to an
adult, it’ll sound much louder to a child.
There are some toys and games that
produce sounds as loud as 110 dB that
can cause immediate and permanent
hearing loss. Some musical instruments
and music players designed specifically
for children ages 3 to 5 can be excessively
loud. An MP3 player marketed to toddlers,
for instance, measured in at a peak of 120
decibels. Computer games often exceed
110 decibels. Musical instruments can
peak at those levels as well.
Also consider buying volume limiting
headphones for your children if they listen
to personal music players such as iPods.
You can set a safe volume limit that will
prevent your child from turning the volume
up too high.
Which hearing protection?
A few pieces of simple, inexpensive gear
can safeguard your children’s precious
hearing. There are three main kinds of
hearing protection readily available:
1. Disposable earplugs. Made out of foam
that you compress with your fingers and
put in your ear canals where they
expand to form a tight fit
2. Reusable earplugs. Usually ‘flanged’
(made with ridges that make them look
like little Christmas trees) to reduce
sound. The earplugs that musicians and
other professionals use are typically of
this kind. (Please note that earplugs are
not advisable for children under 5 as
they can be a choking hazard. Some
earplugs in the flange style are suitable
for children over the age of 7.)
3. Earmuffs. Usually consist of two plastic
‘cups’ filled with sound-deadening
material (typically acoustic foam)
and held tightly on the ears by an
adjustable headband.
When it comes to hearing protection for
babies, toddlers and older children,
appropriately-sized earmuffs are generally
the best choices. Adult earmuffs are not
ideal for young children because the cups
are too large, allowing sound to ‘leak’
around the edges.
How do I know if my family
members have NIHL?
When a person is exposed to loud noise
over a long period of time, symptoms of
NIHL will emerge gradually. Over time, the
sounds a person hears may become
distorted or muffled, and it may be difficult
for that person to understand speech.
Someone with NIHL may not even be
aware of the loss, but it can be detected
with a hearing test.
If you suspect you or your child may have
hearing loss, get your hearing assessed
by an audiologist (a hearing specialist)
or your GP.
About Listen Up!
Listen Up! is a FREE educational outreach
programme that teaches children aged
8 to 12 about sound and how their ears
work, how loud sounds can cause Noise
Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), and how to
stay safe around noise. It’s a free resource
that teaches physics, anatomy, general
science, and valuable health lessons all
at the same time.
To book an Educator for your school visit
www.listenup.co.nz
Remember, if you have to shout to
be heard, it is too loud. To prevent
hearing loss from loud noise:
• Turn it down or turn it off.
• Walk away.
• Wear hearing protection.
* Elena Keith is from Pindrop
Foundation www.pindrop.org.nz