For reference, the chart below shows varying sounds and what decibel range they are in. Sounds are measured in decibels (dB), and research shows that sounds at or above 85 dB for extended periods of time require use of hearing protection. Difficulty hearing in noisy environments.Decrease in hearing immediately following exposure to loud noise.Use hearing protection (options include: foam earplugs and/or earmuffs) whenever around excessively loud noise.Move away from areas/devices with loud noise.Ways to protect your/your child’s hearing If you answered YES to any of these questions, then your child may be exposed to sounds that could result in noise-induced hearing loss. Can you hear (and even more concerning, can you understand the words of) your child’s music when they are using earbuds/headphones?.Does your child have difficulty hearing or complain of decreased hearing sensitivity after the loud noise has stopped?.Does your child complain of ringing in his/her ears even after the noise has stopped?.
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When your child is wearing headphones, do you find yourself raising your voice so they can hear what you are asking them?.When exposed to loud sounds, these hair cells are damaged and do not grow back. Hair cells in the organ of hearing (fun fact: the organ of hearing is shaped like a snail) are responsible for converting sound to an electrical signal so that the hearing nerve can send the sound to the brain.
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Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is irreversible, but also preventable. An estimated five million children between the ages of 6 and 19 have hearing loss resulting from either a one-time exposure to a loud sound or continuous exposure to loud sounds for long periods of time.