Hearing Protection for Young Children

Hearing damage from noise is cumulative - it adds up with each noise ''insult'', so it is important to protect children from the effects of too much noise. Good rules of thumb - there is danger in sounds that are too loud (you must raise your voice to be heard an arms length away), too close (distance from the noise source is a first order noise ''control''), too long (short duration exposures pose less risk than long duration exposures). Train kids to recognize noise hazards, understand the risks, use hearing protection when appropriate, and walk away from hazardous noise. Look for more information from the National Hearing Conservation Association (http://www.hearingconservation.org/resources/public.html, look for Crank It Down! information for kids).