The use of headphones on a daily basis has become second nature to this generation of children. As a parent, it’s only natural to be concerned about your child’s exposure to loud sounds through headphones, especially at unsafe volumes and for prolonged periods of time. Nowadays, it seems every electronic device aimed at children comes with headphones — mobile phones, iPod Shuffles, handheld gaming consoles, and even portable DVD players frequently used on long trips. No doubt about it, our little ones are wired for sound now. But is it really safe? If so, what are some considerations for choosing the best kids’ headphones?
The answer to the first question is yes, it can actually be safe for children to use headphones, but there’s a caveat. Parents must play an active role in educating their kids about safe listening and limit their exposure to loud sounds. This is especially true since research from the American Academy of Paediatrics confirms that listening to loud sounds over a prolonged period will lead to hearing loss.
How loud is too loud?
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), anything over 85 decibels is the level at which hearing can be damaged. To put that into context, a normal conversation is measured at around 60 decibels, while a concrete mixer pouring cement a few meters away is at around 85 decibels.
City dwellers who have to face daily commuting, especially through the subway, need extra precaution since the sound output clocks in at around 90 decibels.
This actually makes one of the arguments as to why kids may need headphones — not to bring in sound, but to filter it out.
So what exactly should parents do?
Well, first you’ll want to get your kids the right set of headphones. Adult headphones are not ideal since the ear canal of a child is much narrower and not yet equipped to handle such output. Most adult headphones are designed to emphasize different musical notes along the ISO226:2003 standard.
Essentially, this means that bass notes are typically played much louder than the rest of the music, and while this may seem fine or even enjoyable to you, kids may be inclined to turn up the volume to better hear the music they’re listening to. Unfortunately, they don’t yet understand the consequences of what they’re doing to their ears.
That being said, what qualities should you look for when picking out your kid’s next headphones?
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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