Hearing Center - Protect Your Children From Noisy Toys

Parents are always at the ready when it comes to telling their children to turn down the television, don't listen to your iPod too loudly, and getting them to avoid obviously ear-damaging activities. But your local hearing center might be aghast if they saw some of the toys your children were playing with. It doesn't take extraordinarily loud volumes to do permanent damage to your ears if you're exposed to it enough. And kids can give a new meaning to repetition. If you want to make sure they don't go deaf before they grow into adults, here are some things to be wary of.

In an effort to warn parents about the potential dangers surrounding noisy toys, the Sight and Hearing Association releases a yearly list outlining some of the noisiest toys on the market. These toys are often purchased and give to children as presents, with the parents being completely oblivious to the fact that they could be doing them a big disservice. Parents don't typically pick the noisiest possible toys on purpose (for their own sanity, if not the protection of their children's ears), but these toys aren't always obvious. You can consult with your local hearing center about toy safety.

Associations like the Centers for Disease Control publish standards when it comes to how much noise the human ear can and should withstand on a regular basis. Federally, the decibel level is set at 85dB. At that level or higher, the government warns citizens that ear protection should be worn, as you could be exposing yourself to long term damage. Once noise damage occurs, there's no way to reverse the process. That ability to hear has been lost forever. But while a hearing center often sees people come through the doors who suffered from auditory loss on account of their profession, few people notice that kids' toys are regularly passing that decibel level.

In addition to perusing the SHA's list of noisy toys, you can take responsibility into your own hands by testing toys in the store before you bring them home. Most stores are happy to let you try out a toy with batteries, especially if you explain why it is that you want to give it a trial run. Hold the toy close to your face, as this is what many kids do when they play. Is it too loud for you? It will be even louder for your child, whose small ear canals compress sound. You wouldn't let your child play with a laser that could potentially cause blindness, so make sure you take the same precautions as it pertains to your child's ears.