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My children play their music very loud. Is it possible that they could damage their hearing? – Concerned
It is definitely possible if they frequently listen to music playing full blast. We spoke with Shari Eberts, a hearing health advocate, who says that prolonged exposure to any sound at or above 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss. In addition, once your hearing is damaged, it is permanently impaired.
Loud noise exposure kills delicate cells inside the cochlea of the inner ear, and once they are gone, they do not grow back. Loud noises can also cause tinnitus, the sensation of buzzing or ringing in your ears when no sound is present.
While people know about concerts, other activities can be damaging to your children’s hearing. Restaurants, sporting events, and even children’s parties are getting louder every day. Other venues you need to be aware of include:
Movies: One of the Star Wars movies boasted that it was the loudest movie on record.
Social events: Bar/bat mitzvahs and weddings can be heartwarming and fun, but also incredibly loud. Most bands and DJs set the volume at unsafe levels.
School events: The noise at some school programs like talent shows can be at unsafe levels.
The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable! Be aware of the risks and arrive prepared. Here are tips for protecting your family’s hearing when out and about:
Turn down the volume. If you have control of the volume, turn it to a safe level.
Speak up. If you think the environment is too loud, ask for the volume to be lowered or to be moved to a quieter seat.
Move away from the sound. If you have a choice of seats, sit far from the speakers. With distance comes safety.
Travel with earplugs. Carry earplugs with you and bring extra to share. Acoustic earplugs provide the best sound for music, but properly used cheaper pairs will also do the trick.
Use a decibel reader app. Most are not 100 percent accurate, but they will let you know if you are near or in the danger zone.
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher. com or to the Dear Teacher website. Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2018. Distributed by King Features Syndicate