How Loud is Too Loud?

(ARA) - Experts say that toy cell phones and portable stereos may be damaging our children’s hearing by delivering potentially deafening decibel levels to their ears. Coupled with loud blockbuster movies and computer games targeted to young people, our youth may be at increased risk for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) -- a common, but preventable form of injury.

More than 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous sound levels on a regular basis, and an estimated 10 million already have hearing loss from noise. The National Center for Environmental Health conducted a study of noise-induced hearing threshold shifts (NITS) among U.S. children and found that 14.9 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 years have hearing loss in one or both ears. The study suggests that children are being exposed to excessive amounts of hazardous levels of noise. How loud is too loud? According to guidelines established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), regular or prolonged exposure to noises over 85 dB (decibels) can pose a hearing risk.

“In general, if you have to raise your voice to be heard, the environment is too loud for your ears,” says researcher Sig Soli, Ph.D, House Ear Institute. “And the louder the sound, the less time it takes before your hearing will be affected. Just 15 minutes at a rock concert can subject you to 100 decibels or more of damaging sound -- the maximum duration of exposure for that sound level. Cranking up the volume too high on a stereo or headset can pose a similar risk.”

In an increasingly noisy world, digital technology has compounded the problem of noise exposure by allowing us to increase volume levels on our stereos and headsets without sound distortion. Digital technology is popular with teens and pre-teens, making them more vulnerable to noise-induced hearing loss. Parents can set a good example by turning down the volume levels of all household stereos and wearing hearing protection around other noise sources like power tools and vacuum cleaners, and should encourage children to wear hearing protection (ear plugs or ear muffs) in noisy environments.

Advise kids to follow these tips for hearing conservation: avoid loud noises in excess of 85 decibels, lower volume levels on your stereo and wear earplugs in noisy environments. Here are the sound output levels of some activities that could pose a risk for hearing:

* Movies with super sound systems can range from 80 to 100 decibels

* Concerts/Live Music can range from 100 to 120 decibels

* Games in sports stadiums can range from 80 to 100 decibels

* Portable CD/MP3 Players at full volume can range from 100 to 115 decibels

“Concerned parents can protect their younger children’s sensitive ears by choosing quieter toys or lowering the volume on noisy toys by taping over speakers or removing batteries,” says James D. Boswell, CEO, House Ear Institute. “You can help your older children save their hearing by teaching them that loud noise is a potential health danger. If you buy them an MP3 player or a noisy computer game, take the time to demonstrate the safe sound level limits to protect their ears from permanent damage.”

For more information on hearing and hearing loss, visit the House Ear Institute (HEI) Web site at www.hei.org or call (213) 483-4431 and ask about the Institute’s Sound Partners hearing conservation program.

Courtesy of ARA Content