Expecting parents: What you need to know about sound and babies

When you’re preparing a baby, the typical things you think about buying are a crib, toys, and diapers. As a mom who’s worked in the entertainment industry for over 15 years, here’s some advice about things you probably haven’t thought of. You don’t have to stop going to loud places … Read more

Popular toys that can damage your child’s hearing 2018

The Sight & Hearing Association has released their 2018 list of noisy toys. These aren’t just toys that are annoyingly loud, though. These are toys that have been tested and found to be so loud they could cause hearing damage. The worst offender this year is toy for infants. They’re also toys you … Read more

Hearing protection for children

Hearing protection for children of all ages is important because hearing damage from loud sounds is permanent. Children under the age of 5 are more susceptible to hearing damage so it’s especially crucial to protect their ears. Hearing protection can also make loud environments more comfortable for children with sensory issues … Read more

What are the loud sounds at your school? A science project

In 2000, a group of fifth graders in Centerville, Ohio took on a research question: “Are there times or activities in our school when the noise level becomes dangerous to people’s hearing?” They discovered a number of places where sound levels were not safe and their article was published in Hearing Rehabilitation … Read more

How noise affects kids at school

It’s been proven in many studies that background noise can affect children’s ability to learn. Until a child is in their teens, it’s hard for them to separate sounds they want to listen to from those those they don’t want to focus on. It’s the most difficult for kids under the … Read more

Is your baby’s noise machine too loud?

Infant sleep machines are designed and marketed to help infant’s sleep better. But, when a noise machine is too loud or too close, it can disrupt sleep or worse – cause permanent hearing damage. A group of Canadian researchers measured noise machines set to maximum level. They found some machines … Read more

Why Babies & Toddlers Need A Quiet Background to Learn

Babies and toddlers listen differently to the world and too much sound can affect their ability to learn. For most adults, it doesn’t take effort to filter out sounds we don’t want to pay attention to and focusing on the ones we do (like someone speaking when there’s light/moderate background music … Read more

Popular toys that can damage your child’s hearing 2017

Just because a major company releases a toy doesn’t mean it’s safe for your kid’s ears. All toys have to undergo acoustic testing and meet requirements (set by the American Society of Testing and Materials, or ASTM). The problem is the way that kids play with toys (how close a … Read more

Teen hearing loss (and how to prevent it)

Teen hearing loss has become a growing problem especially as earbuds have grown in popularity. As many as 1 in 6 adolescents have high frequency hearing loss (because of exposure to loud noises such as music played through headphones). Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson (“Seattle Mama Doc”) has an excellent article … Read more

How loud is too loud for kids?

It’s important for adults to understand what sounds are too loud for kids and what to do about it. Hearing damage (from exposure to loud sounds) is permanent – but we can help prevent it. Three steps to protect your children’s ears (and your ears) from loud sounds Check how … Read more

Are public hand dryers too loud for kids?

High-speed hand dryers in public restrooms are a convenience with an annoying side effect: they are loud! Are they loud enough to do hearing damage to a child who is standing right next to it? The short answer is possibly. [Update: My response used to be no – but after … Read more