Tips to Protect Your Child from Hearing Loss – Enter to W1N Kidz Gear Headphones (Ends 4/7, US)

March 19, 2012 by ·
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Audiology experts agree that hearing loss in the United States is increasing. The number of Americans age 3 and older with some form of hearing disorder has more than doubled since 1971. (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)

What do you do to protect your child’s hearing?  If you’re like me, you kinda think about it, sorta, but you don’t really know too much about it or what to do.

There are several causes of hearing loss.  The number one cause in infants and young children is otitis media.  Otitis media is an inflammation in the middle ear (the area behind the eardrum) that is usually associated with the buildup of fluid.  If you see the warning signs listed below, consult with your pediatrician.  It requires immediate attention to protect your child’s hearing.

Warning Signs of Otitis Media – #1 Cause of Hearing Loss in Infants and Young Children

  • Inattentiveness
  • Wanting the television or radio louder than usual
  • Misunderstanding directions
  • Listlessness
  • Unexplained irritability
  • Pulling or scratching at the ears
Congenital hearing loss is another major type of hearing loss.  Congenital means that it was present at birth.  Causes of congenital hearing loss are heredity, prenatal infections, illnesses, toxins consumed by the mother during pregnancy or other conditions occurring at the time of birth or shortly thereafter.
Of the 28 million Americans who have hearing loss, over one-third have been affected at least in part by noise.  Noise-induced hearing loss is something we as parents can help avoid.  Excessive noise exposure is the most common cause of hearing loss in older children and adults.
Every day, we experience sound in our environment, such as the sounds from television and radio, household appliances, and traffic. Normally, we hear these sounds at safe levels that do not affect our hearing. However, when we are exposed to harmful noise—sounds that are too loud or loud sounds that last a long time—sensitive structures in our inner ear can be damaged, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). These sensitive structures, called hair cells, are small sensory cells that convert sound energy into electrical signals that travel to the brain. Once damaged, our hair cells cannot grow back.
Is noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) the result of a one time exposure to a loud noise, ie explosion, or to exposure to loud noises over a long period of time?  Both!  NIHL can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense “impulse” sound, such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time, such as noise generated in a woodworking shop.
Aren’t just old people suffering from NIHL?  People of all ages, including children, teens, young adults, and older people, can develop NIHL. Approximately 15 percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 69—or 26 million Americans—have high frequency hearing loss that may have been caused by exposure to loud sounds or noise at work or in leisure activities.
So, okay, it’s a big deal!  Now what can we do?
From the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders, to protect your hearing:
  • Know which noises can cause damage (those at or above 85 decibels).
  • Wear earplugs or other hearing protective devices when involved in a loud activity (special earplugs and earmuffs are available at hardware and sporting goods stores).
  • Be alert to hazardous noise in the environment.
  • Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own.
  • Make family, friends, and colleagues aware of the hazards of noise.
  • If you suspect hearing loss, have a medical examination by an otolaryngologist (a physician who specializes in diseases of the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck) and a hearing test by an audiologist (a health professional trained to measure and help individuals deal with hearing loss).

Which to love more... the KidzGear headphones with volume limiting technology or that curly-curl!

Have you every sat next to your child, who is wearing headphones, and heard the music or tv show that they are listening to?  Do you wonder how loud it must be for them, if you hear it so clearly?  But it’s so hard to know how loud it is for them.  Until now.  Enter Kidz Gear Headphones.  Laurie Peterson, mom and founder of Kidz Gear, saw a problem and went out to solve it.  
These are my favorite things about Kidz Gear headphones:
  1. KidzControlâ„¢ Volume Limiting Technology – no matter how hard your kids try, they cannot get the volume level louder than between 80 to 90 decibels.  You don’t have to check periodically, guess, or just be frustrated about the volume of sound in your kid’s headphones.
  2. Kidz Gear are not “toys”, they are made with high-quality audio components.  The sound performance is exceptional and your kids will love the same rich, high quality sound in adult audio gear.
  3. Kidz Gear headphones are comfortable.  The ear cups are soft and padded.  An ergonomic design means your kids will keep these on – that’s half the battle won!
One lucky winner is going to win a pair of Kidz Gear headphones!  Enter in the Rafflecopter form below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

In the picture above, Rosie is listening to an Audiovox 9″ Portable Swivel DVD Player.  Enter to win one of your own, here!

Disclosure of Material Connection: All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. I was given a pair of KidzGear Headphones for my daughter to try.

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Comments

  1. 1
    felecia says:
    March 22, 2012 at 11:41 am

    I like the Wired Headphones For Kids (with Inline Remote/Mic Control)

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