When you’re shopping for young children, you have to stay vigilant. It’s important to avoid choking hazards, any toys with sharp edges, anything that can cause poisoning or irritate a child’s eyes or skin. But you should also keep in mind that some loud toys cause hearing loss.
Should You Get Noisy Toys?
There are some upsides to getting your children toys that speak or sing. Even very young children can enjoy interacting with their toys. Educational value is important to consider as well. For example, some toys help expand a child’s vocabulary, or teach them some basic words in a foreign language.
However, particularly loud toys cause hearing loss. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, there are noisy toys on the market that exceed 85 decibels. This matches the noise of a lawnmower.
Children are put at additional risk because they may hold their toys close to their ears.
Remember that your child’s sensory organs are still developing. A child’s middle and inner ear are both more sensitive to damage than any adult’s. This can easily be long-term damage.
How Can You Tell Which Loud Toys Cause Hearing Loss?
Here are some steps that can help you figure out which toys are safe.
- Test The Toys Yourself
Try the toy out at a safe distance at first. Then bring it closer and closer to your ear. If you feel any discomfort, the toy may not be safe for a child. - Go for Toys with Volume Control
If the volume control doesn’t work for any reason, you can also cover up the speakers with tape. - Check Online
Manufacturers don’t necessarily have to warn for hazardous noise levels. But you can frequently get valuable information online. Definitely don’t buy anything that goes above 85 decibels.
Every year, the Sight & Hearing Association releases a list of new toys that can cause hearing damage. If you’re thinking of getting a toy, you should make sure it’s not on the list.
