Causes of Loss of Hearing in Children
It is a sad fact that children today are being exposed to noise more frequently than children from any other generation. Not only are headphones from mp3 players and video games being used constantly, but families are more likely to attend large, noisy events together. Often, adults think to protect their own hearing, without giving thought to the fact that their children's hearing is even more sensitive, if not more so.
Families can often be seen together at drag racing and other motor sports, concerts, music festivals and air shows. In addition to this, families often attend fireworks displays together, and it's not uncommon to see kids helping dad around the yard or tool shed, where objects like lawnmowers and saws omit a high level of potentially damaging noise.
Prevention of Hearing Loss in Children
While the simplest solution would be to make kids stay away from noisy events, this is easier said than done. A lot of families enjoy spending time together, no matter what the environment. For this reason, it is essential to have items on hand that protect children's hearing.
While earplugs are one possible option, these are often small and hard to use in children's small ears. A parent placing their hands over a child's ears is another possibility, but is hardly a long term solution. One of the most cost effective and convenient ways is to use hearing protection earmuffs.
Recent innovations in hearing protection mean that child sized earmuffs are easy to find. These are smaller and lighter than adult earmuffs, and often look a lot better to, with eye catching colours being one feature. Earmuffs designed just for kids are becoming more popular, and undoubtedly more necessary.
Some kids earmuff designs are a bit too large and heavy for babies, but a recently released product designed just for newborns and infants ensures that even the smallest of children can have their hearing protected when in a noisy environment.