{"id":1007,"date":"2020-06-18T23:33:47","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T23:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/audiologycenternw.com\/?p=1007"},"modified":"2020-06-18T23:33:47","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T23:33:47","slug":"protect-your-child-from-headphone-misuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/audiologycenternw.com\/protect-your-child-from-headphone-misuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Protect Your Child from Headphone Misuse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether they\u2019re listening to music, watching an educational video or checking in with their teacher during shelter-in-place orders, kids and teens are spending more time than ever with a set of headphones on. Without proper safety measures, this can result in hearing loss, communication problems, ear-ringing, fullness, sensitivity and pain. This is why it\u2019s important to protect your children from headphone misuse.<\/p>\n

Are Children\u2019s Headphones Safe?\"photo<\/h2>\n

Children\u2019s headphones are marketed as a safer alternative for young ears, featuring comfy earpads and a volume cap at 85 dB.<\/p>\n

Eighty-five dB is considered a safe threshold when it comes to occupational noise exposure \u2013 that is, any sound over 85 dB can cause permanent damage if someone is exposed longer than eight hours a day. But this number doesn\u2019t take into account the amount of time many kids actually spend wearing headphones or earbuds.<\/p>\n

\u201cTreating 85 decibels as a safe level makes no sense at all,\u201d explained Rick Neitzel, Ph.D.,<\/a> associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan. \u201cExposure is not just intensity \u2014 it is also how long it lasts and how frequently it occurs\u2026 Ignoring the time is missing the point. This 85-decibel number has achieved mythical status not because it is safe but because it is one of the few ways that occupational noise is regulated.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Loud Is Too Loud?<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, this answer is not exactly straight-forward; as Dr. Neitzel expressed, volume limits must also take into account the duration of exposure.<\/p>\n

According to Drs. Neirzel and Fligor, co-authors of a recent paper on recreational sound exposure<\/a>, 70 dB is a safer upper limit for unlimited listening. As long as exposure is limited to less than eight hours daily, a more liberal upper limit is 83 dB, with 75 dB being a realistic compromise.<\/p>\n

But sound exposure does not come from headphones alone. If your child participates in other noisy activities \u2013 like practicing an instrument or mowing the lawn \u2013 the risk of noise of exposure can compound.<\/p>\n

How to Practice Safe Listening<\/h2>\n

There are several measures parents can take to ensure their children are practicing safe listening habits:<\/p>\n