Protecting the hearing of the little ones: Strategies to reduce noise in their environment
In our daily lives, we are surrounded by various sounds that are not always pleasant to our ears. However, what many do not know is that excess noise can have a negative impact on our health, especially that of our children. The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the direct relationship between excess noise and the increase in cardiovascular diseases, hearing problems, psychological alterations and cognitive difficulties. It is essential to take measures to protect our children from intense noise and guarantee their hearing well-being.
Effects of loud noise on children
Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of noise. From the prenatal stage, when the sense of hearing begins to develop, a noisy environment can negatively affect the health of the fetus. Chronic noise exposure during pregnancy has been associated with hearing problems and delayed growth.
Even after birth, children continue to be extremely sensitive to loud noises. Unfortunately, as they grow, we tend to pay less attention to the sounds around them. Noise pollution in your environment can affect your overall well-being, including your attention span, stress levels, nervousness and irritability.
In addition, it has been proven that living in a noisy environment can lead to learning and memory disorders, affect speech development, reduce motivation and academic performance, affect reading comprehension and problem solving. Children exposed to noisy homes tend to have lower cognitive and linguistic development, as well as attention difficulties. It is also common for them to experience negative effects on their self-esteem and may develop anxiety.
According to the WHO, exposure to more than 70 decibels for prolonged periods can cause irreversible hearing damage.
How to protect your children's ears
It is essential to take measures to protect our children's ears and ensure a healthy acoustic environment. Below, we present some practical recommendations to take care of the hearing of the little ones:
noisy toys
Pay attention to toys that make excessively loud sounds. Some of them can expose babies to harmful decibel levels for a long time, which can affect their hearing. Opt for toys that meet hearing safety standards.
Protection against intense noise
Prevent babies and children from being exposed to loud noise sources such as airplanes, toy guns, firecrackers, loud music equipment, and power tools. Use appropriate hearing protectors when necessary.
Urban environment
If you live in an urban area with a lot of traffic and construction noise, try to keep your windows closed during peak noise hours to reduce noise exposure.
noisy places
Avoid taking your baby to places with loud music and large crowds of people, such as bars or restaurants. These environments can be harmful to your hearing and well-being.
Proper volume
Control the volume of music and television at home. Make sure it's not too loud and, if possible, use noise-canceling headphones to reduce exposure to external noise.
Protection in noisy events
At events like soccer games or concerts, where the noise can be intense, use noise-canceling headphones to protect your children's ears. This will help reduce exposure to loud sounds and prevent possible hearing damage. They can also be helped with white noise so that their sleep is of better quality.
Taking care of our children's ears is an important responsibility as parents. By taking steps to reduce exposure to loud noise and providing a healthy acoustic environment, we will be contributing to their overall well-being and proper development. Remember that prevention is key and protecting your hearing from an early age is essential to guarantee a good quality of life in the long term.
Don't forget that little ones' ears are delicate and deserve to be cared for and protected!