Your Ears
Protect hearing, and remember that hearing is different from listening
Although ears are designed to last a lifetime, our increasingly noisy world puts all of us—especially children—at risk for noise-induced hearing loss.
Remember the Three Ds
Decibels: how loud the sound is. Be especially cautious above 85 decibels.
Duration: how long you are exposed to the sound.
Distance: how close you are to the source.
Everyday Sounds That Need Attention
- Sports games: use ear protection sized for infants and children.
- Toys: if a toy seems too loud to you, it probably is; reduce its volume or cover the speaker.
- White-noise machines: keep them away from the baby and out of the crib.
- Movies, television, and parties: keep volume down and move farther from loud speakers.
Children are drawn to speakers. At a concert or at home, do not let a child crawl or walk up to a speaker and place an ear next to it.