| In 2000, 5.2 million 6-19 year old had hearing loss | | | | normal hearing aka hearing threshold |
| directly related to noise exposure [3rd National Health | | | | · 10 dB normal breathing |
| and Nutrition Examination Survey, reported on | | | | · 20 dB whispering at 5 feet, broadcasting studio, |
| Dangerous Decibels ( ). | | | | rustling leaves |
| According to a study done by Montgomery and | | | | · 30 dB soft whisper, library |
| Fujukawa in 1992, Over the last 10 years, the | | | | · 50 dB rainfall, light traffic, average home |
| percentage of 2nd graders with hearing loss has | | | | · 60 dB normal conversation, air conditioning unit |
| increased 2.8 times; hearing loss in 8th graders has | | | | · 85 dB noisy restaurant |
| increased over 4 times. | | | | · 110-120 dB rock concert, speedboat, headphones on |
| No one knows exactly what level damages a | | | | maximum |
| child’s ears, but the Noise Center’s Rule | | | | · 110 dB shouting in ear, baby crying, many power |
| of Thumb is: IF YOU HAVE TO SHOUT TO BE | | | | tools |
| HEARD THREE FEET AWAY, THE NOISE IS TOO | | | | · 120 dB thunder, jet takeoff at 200’ |
| LOUD AND IS DAMAGING TO YOUR HEARING. | | | | · 180 dB rocket launching |
| For what you can do, go here: . | | | | 7. Harm can occur with 103 dB after 7.5 minutes, 106 |
| 1. Noise poses a serious threat to children's hearing, | | | | dB after less than 4 minutes, 109 dB after less than 2 |
| health, learning and behavior," says the NoiseCenter. | | | | minutes, and 115 dB after around 30 seconds. (Source: |
| They suggest offering your child peace and quiet. | | | | ) |
| 2. Younger ears are not stronger than older ears. | | | | 8. Supervise your teenagers as many things they like |
| Children’s ear canals are shorter than adults, | | | | can be damaging. |
| and damage more easily. | | | | · Clubs and discos, 91 - 96 dB |
| 3. Check out the toys your child plays with. | | | | · Dance floor, 85 - 100 dB |
| Talk with your pediatrician. A study conducted by the | | | | · At the bar, 90 dB or more |
| Henry Ford Health System found that many current | | | | · Personal stereo systems, 60 - 114 dB |
| toys, including tape recorders, bike horns, cap guns, and | | | | · Rock concerts, 100 dB or more average |
| toy telephones, are not safe for your child’s | | | | · Car stereos, up to 154 dB in the car!! |
| hearing. Of the 25 they tested, more than half made | | | | · Home stereo, 80 - 115 dB |
| sounds higher than 115 dBs. According to The National | | | | 9. If you take kids hunting or to a shooting range, take |
| Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, at 110 dB, | | | | hearing protectors along. |
| the maximum undamaging exposure time is one | | | | Firearms are all high and a single exposure can cause |
| minute and 29 seconds. | | | | permanent hearing loss. Examples, 12-guage shotgun, |
| 4. Prevention is crucial because noise-induced hearing | | | | 150-165 dB, shotgun, 163-172 dB, rifle, 143-170 dB. Most |
| loss can’t be corrected. | | | | firearms start at 100 dB and can go as high as 190 dB. |
| A loud enough noise can cause instant, permanent, | | | | Supervise their use of power tools. A firecracker can |
| irreversible damage, some noises can cause damage | | | | also cause immediate damage. |
| if heard long enough, and there is also a cumulative | | | | 10. Video arcade visits, computer games and action |
| effect over time. | | | | movies should also be monitored. |
| 5. A noisy squeeze toy is rated 135 decibels (dB) by | | | | Noise levels at video arcades can exceed 100 decibels |
| the League for the Hard of Hearing. | | | | (similar to factory machinery), computer games can go |
| Check out their website for more information - . | | | | as high as 135 dB (the level of a jackhammer), and an |
| 6. Noise levels above 85 dB will harm hearing over | | | | action movie is generally beyond 90 dB. |
| time and noise levels above 140dB can cause damage | | | | All values are approximate as conditions vary. This is |
| to hearing after just one exposure. Source - . | | | | not medical advice. See your personal healthcare |
| Here’s a list of sounds: | | | | professional for advice specific to you and your child. |
| · 0 dB The softest sound a person can hear with | | | | |