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NOISY TOYS AND HEARING LOSS DANGERS ....... 1 ISSUE 6 VOLUME 3 2013 HEARING PROTECTORS— WHEN ARE HEARING PROTECTORS RECOMMENDED…….2 KID SAFE EARBUDS— ANOTHER W AY TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD’S HEARING.... 2 Hear and Now Focusing on Pediatrics Noisy Toys and Hearing Loss Dangers Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) occurs when tiny sensory hair cells in our inner ears are damaged by noises that are too loud and that last for too long. But how loud is too loud, and how much time is too long? The answers are related: the louder the sound, the shorter the time before damage can occur. Levels above 100 Decibels for more than one hour risks permanent hearing loss. No more than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure recommended at 110 Decibels. Prolonged exposure to any noise at or above 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss. The chart below shows sound levels and when they become harmful. Decibels 150 120 110 105 100 95 90 85 60 40 30 0 How loud is too Loud? Sound Source Firecracker Ambulance siren Chain saw, Rock concert Personal stereo system at maximum level Wood shop, Snowmobile Motorcycle Power mower Heavy city traffic Normal conversation Refrigerator humming Whispered voice Threshold of normal hearing Maximum Exposure 0 Minutes 3 Minutes 15 Minutes 30 Minutes 1 Hour 2 Hours 4 Hours 8 Hours What you may not know, is that some toys for children have the potential to harm your child’s hearing. According to Sight and Hearing Association, the following list shows some of the noisiest toys for 2012. TOY Manufacturer Age Group Type of Toy Decibels at 0” Disney Pixar Toy Story Figure Buzz Lightyear Mattel, Inc. 3y+ Hand-held 111 81.6 Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles— Leonardo’s Electronic Sword Playmates Toys 4y+ Hand-held 109.2 81.6 Dora the Explorer—Dora’s Desert Friends Publications Int’l, Ltd. 18 months + Hand-held 108.2 80.4 Barbie Little Learner Laptop Oregon Scientific 3y+ 83.8 Playskool/123 Sesame Street—Let’s Rock Grover Microphone Hasbro 18m - 4y B. Woofer (Guitar) 108 Decibels at 10” Hand-held 107.3 79.3 Mason Joseph Battat, Ltd. 2-6y Hand-held 106.5 80.4 Matchbox/Power Shift Fire Truck Mattel, Inc. 3y+ Floor 83 Playskool/Rock-tivity Jump n’ Jam Guitar Hasbro 9m+ Hand-held 105.1 77.4 Fisher-Price/Disney Pixar Cars Mattel, Inc. 3-7y Hand-held 105 or Floor 80.9 Shake ‘n Go! El Materdor Twister Dance Hasbro 8y+ Floor 104.6 77.7 Littlest Pet Shop—Sing-a-long Pup Hasbro 4y+ Hand-held 103.8 73.1 Marvel Avengers Iron Man Mission Mask Hasbro 6y+ Face 76 Fisher-Price/Disney Baby Rockin’ Tunes Dumbo Mattel, Inc. 6-36 mos. Hand-held 95.7 105.7 101.7 72.1 Hearing Protection—When are Hearing Protectors Recommended? Hearing protectors are recommended whenever a person’s hearing is exposed to noise levels that exceed a certain level and time. Scientists have set this level in the workplace at 85 decibels for exposures longer than eight continuous hours. The louder the sound, the shorter the time before damage can occur. In practical terms, your child won’t damage his or her hearing by temporarily cranking up the volume for a favorite song or by taking a short ride on the subway. On the other hand, your tween could potentially damage his or her hearing by listening to music at maximum volume for an extended period of time. The same is true when your tween participates in any activity that exceeds a safe noise level and listening time. Your child should wear hearing protectors while using a lawn mower, operating many power tools, or riding a snowmobile or farm tractor. Hearing protectors may also be advisable when your tween attends certain events in stadiums, gymnasiums, amusement parks, auditoriums, and other entertainment venues. Auto races, sporting events, and music concerts of all types (e.g., symphonies and rock) can be too loud for long-term exposure without hearing protectors. Hearing protectors are an absolute must if your tween hunts or takes part in shooting sports. The sound of a gunshot can reach the same level as a jet engine at takeoff. At this level, noise can damage your child’s hearing immediately and permanently. Make hearing protectors part of your child’s standard shooting-safety gear. Children will often place their hands over their ears when things get too noisy. It won’t protect their hearing, but it is a good sign that hearing protectors may be needed. Have hearing protectors handy for the times when the sound is too loud. How do hearing protectors work? Hearing protectors work by reducing the level of sound that reaches hair cells in our inner ear. They do not block out all noise, but just make all noises sound softer. Different hearing protectors offer different levels of protection, as shown by their Noise Reduction Rating, or NRR. The higher the NRR, the greater the protection they offer. If a hearing protector has an NRR of 22, it can reduce a potentially harmful noise by 22 decibels. So a 100-decibel noise will be reduced to a safe level of 78 decibels (100 - 22 = 78). Kid Safe Earbuds—Another Way to Protect Your Child’s Hearing Children are listening to electronic devices more and more. Many of the earbuds that are on the market allow sound to reach unsafe hearing levels (Unsafe levels are anything that is 85+ decibels for longer than 15 minutes). As you may know, when exposed to harmful impulse noise or loud sounds over a prolonged period, sensitive structures in our inner ear can be damaged causing Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Exposure to harmful sounds causes damage to the hair cells as well as the auditory, or hearing, nerve. Impulse sound can result in immediate hearing loss that may be permanent. Teaching children when sound is too loud can be challenging and making sure they are keeping the volume under 85 decibels can be a daunting task. One way to keep hearing safe is to utilize a product that limits the volume of the device. One such device is Kidzsafe Earbuds. These earbuds do not require parental controls, as they automatically limit the volume to a maximum of 85 decibels and this cannot be overridden. Hearing Professionals is dedicated to providing the highest quality of personalized and professional diagnostic and rehabilitative balance and hearing health care services, to maximize each individual patient’s quality of life. HEARING PROFESSIONALS HAS 4 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS For more information on Hearing Professionals and the services we offer, please visit: Laurel 14201 Laurel Park Drive - Suite 109 Laurel, MD 20707 Phone: 301-604-3177 Fax: 301-604-2919 Bowie 4000 Mitchellville Road - Suite B-124 Bowie, MD 20716 Phone: 301-464-2036 Fax: 301-464-9226 Waldorf 3460 Old Washington Road - Suite 203 Waldorf, MD 20602 Phone: 301-932-4237 Fax: 301-932-9027 California 23077 Three Notch Road - Suite 101 California, MD 20619 Phone: 301-737-4040 Fax: 301-737-2310