Noise levels of toys and potential risks to hearing

With the festive season rapidly approaching and gift purchases just around the corner, some parents may wonder how noisy a toy can be without having a negative effect on their child’s hearing.

According to the ABC report, doctors believe that levels above 85 dB can be harmful. The Sight and Hearing Association (SHA) puts out a list of toys producing sound louder than 85 dB each year, but a good rule of thumb, according to audiologist Sabrina Lawley, is as follows: “If it’s too loud for you, it’s probably too loud for your kid”. Lawley said that parents may overlook how damaging noisy toys could be to a child’s critical learning period in the first three years of life. She says that an effect on hearing is likely to have an effect on learning and development too.

Lawley also mentioned that because children hold toys close to their face, the sound becomes louder. Her recommendation is that parents should test products inside the store and possibly use an app with a decibel reader to monitor the loudness of the toy they are thinking of buying. “I know stores aren’t going to like that while the toy is going off in the toy aisle, but you want to do your own research within the store before you buy.”

She also recommends turning the volume down if there’s a volume control, or even covering over the speaker with tape if the sound seems to be too high.

Source: ABC 33/40