Children's Hearing Protection

Even though your child may be born with normal hearing, he or she may start to show signs of hearing defects with age. Hearing problems can be brought on by genetic factors or illness. Measles or chickenpox are some of the childhood infections that could lead to hearing loss, while even some medications, like certain antibiotics, may cause hearing problems as well. Ear infections are commonly associated with hearing defects. Other problems can be caused by injury, while there are still other cases in which the specific reason for the loss of hearing is unknown.

Unfortunately, it is still almost impossible to protect your child from the effects of their genes, and it is very difficult to protect your child from certain diseases. You can, however, try and keep your child safe and help them avoid injuries and some infections. In this way, you will also be helping them avoid situations that could lead to hearing loss.

First of all, make sure your child’s ears are cleaned properly. Also make sure that their ears are never exposed to harsh weather conditions, such as wind, rain and snow; having them wear hats or ear muffs is a good idea. They should also wear protection over their ears at all times when playing physical contact sports to avoid injury. Try to get them to wear ear plugs when they find themselves in environments characterized by constant loud noise.

Children may be very reluctant to wear all this ear protection, but you should explain to them that these are methods to prevent against hearing loss; discuss the causes and effects of hearing loss with them and get them involved in hearing protection strategies. Make sure you set a good example and wear ear protection yourself.

One of the main sources of gradual hearing loss is constant exposure to noise. Make sure your child is not exposed for long periods of time to loud noises; keep the volume of the TV and car radio down, and make sure your child is not turning the volume up on headsets. Don’t let children stand close to lawn mowers or snow blowers for extended periods of time. Many children’s toys can be detrimental to their hearing, like toys with sirens, musical instruments and any other toy that emits sounds. Make sure you check the noise rating on these toys before letting your child play with them, or at least make sure they only play with them occasionally.

The best idea is to consult with an audiologist to get some ideas as to how to systematically protect your child from hearing loss. Ask your audiologist what kind of protection would be best for your child and what kind of toys your child should be playing with.