Parent Blue Wave Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet
A: Wave

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HEARING HEALTH FOR YOUR CHILDREN

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he ability to hear well plays a key role in children’s lives, whether at school, with friends and family, or
participating in afterschool activities like sports. But did you know that children are often surrounded by
everyday noises that could damage their hearing? As a parent, you can teach your children how to protect
their hearing for life by encouraging healthy hearing habits now. Just as wearing sunscreen can protect against
sun damage, there are habits that youth can develop to protect against hearing damage from noises that are too
loud and last too long.

What is noise-induced hearing loss?

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Long or repeated exposure to loud sounds can cause hearing loss. Every day, preteens experience sounds in their environment—
from personal electronic devices, television, the school cafeteria, and the hallways between classes. Normally, these sounds are
at a safe level that won’t damage their hearing; however, sounds can be harmful when they are too loud, even for a short time,
or when they are both loud and long lasting. These sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and cause noiseinduced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss can be immediate, or it can take a long time to be noticed. It can be temporary
or permanent, and it can affect one ear or both ears.

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The louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time it takes for noise-induced hearing loss to happen. How close you are to the
noise and how long you are exposed to the noise also determine how damaging a noise can be. Since noise-induced hearing loss
builds over time, it might not be until the adult years that your children notice they don’t hear as well as they used to.
Noise-induced hearing loss is the only kind of hearing loss that can be completely prevented. You can help your children protect
their hearing by developing healthy hearing habits early in life.

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How can I protect my child from noise-induced hearing loss?
• Teach your children three easy ways to protect their hearing:
hh

Lower the volume. Turn down the sound on electronic devices.
Move away from the noise. Simply walk away.
hh Wear hearing protectors. Use earplugs or earmuffs if you can’t leave a noisy place.
hh

• When you can hear the music coming from your children’s earbuds, remind them that high volume levels can damage their
hearing.
• At home, limit the number of noise sources operating at once. The TV, computer, hair dryer, vacuum, and power tools can all
contribute to a high noise level.

www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov

Fact Sheet A: Wave

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders
Draft for Testing Only

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• Be a good role model. Use earplugs and earmuffs yourself in noisy situations:
hh

When you use power tools or mow the lawn.
When you attend sporting events.
hh When you go to the movies.
hh

• In noisy situations, seize the moment to discuss the importance of protecting their hearing:
hh

When an ambulance goes by.
When you’re waiting for the subway.
hh When you attend a parade.
hh

• When you and your child find listening enjoyable, emphasize the pleasure of healthy hearing:
hh

On a hike, hearing a bird singing or wind in the trees.
Hearing the sound of wind chimes.
hh Listening to a favorite band playing.
hh

• Praise your child for healthy hearing choices.
• Make sure your child gets a hearing test every year.
• Keep earplugs and earmuffs handy.
Believe it or not, research shows that preteens actually do listen to their parents and model their parents’ behavior. You can
help your children develop healthy, life-long hearing habits.
For more suggestions, visit the Noisy Planet website at www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) sponsors It’s a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing. This
national public education campaign is designed to increase awareness among parents of children ages 8 to 12 (tweens) about the causes and
prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). With this information, parents and other adults can encourage children to adopt healthy hearing
habits before and during the time that they develop listening, leisure, and working habits. To find out more about how to protect your hearing and
that of your family, visit the Noisy Planet website at www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov.

For more information about your hearing and hearing loss, contact:
NIDCD Information Clearinghouse
1 Communication Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20892-3456
Voice: (800) 241-1044
TTY: (800) 241-1055
Fax: (301) 770-8977
E-mail: [email protected]

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®
NIH Publication No. 09–6431C
October 2009
Reprinted October 2014

The Noisy Planet logo is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Fact Sheet A: Wave

Draft for Testing Only

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Fact Sheet
B: Icon

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Hearing Health
®

for Your Children

www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov

PARENTS

T

he ability to hear well plays a key role in children’s lives, whether at school, with friends and family, or
participating in afterschool activities like sports. But did you know that children are often surrounded by
everyday noises that could damage their hearing? As a parent, you can teach your children how to protect
their hearing for life by encouraging healthy hearing habits now. Just as wearing sunscreen can protect against
sun damage, there are habits that youth can develop to protect against hearing damage from noises that are too
loud and last too long.

What is noise-induced hearing loss?
Long or repeated exposure to loud sounds can cause hearing loss. Every day,
preteens experience sounds in their environment—from personal electronic devices,
television, the school cafeteria, and the hallways between classes. Normally, these
sounds are at a safe level that won’t damage their hearing; however, sounds can be
harmful when they are too loud, even for a short time, or when they are both loud
and long lasting. These sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and
cause noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss can be immediate, or
it can take a long time to be noticed. It can be temporary or permanent, and it can
affect one ear or both ears.
The louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time it takes for noise-induced
hearing loss to happen. How close you are to the noise and how long you are
exposed to the noise also determine how damaging a noise can be. Since noiseinduced hearing loss builds over time, it might not be until the adult years that your
children notice they don’t hear as well as they used to.
Noise-induced hearing loss is the only kind of hearing loss that can be completely
prevented. You can help your children protect their hearing by developing healthy
hearing habits early in life.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services • National Institutes of Health • National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Fact Sheet B: Icon

Draft for Testing Only

5

How can I protect my child from noise-induced hearing loss?
• Teach your children three easy ways to protect their hearing:
hh

Lower the volume. Turn down the sound on electronic devices.
Move away from the noise. Simply walk away.
hh Wear hearing protectors. Use earplugs or earmuffs if you can’t leave a
noisy place.
hh

• When you can hear the music coming from your children’s earbuds, remind
them that high volume levels can damage their hearing.

• At home, limit the number of noise sources operating at once. The TV,

computer, hair dryer, vacuum, and power tools can all contribute to a high
noise level.

• Be a good role model. Use earplugs and earmuffs yourself in noisy
situations:
hh

When you use power tools or mow the lawn.
When you attend sporting events.
hh When you go to the movies.
hh

• In noisy situations, seize the moment to discuss the importance of protecting their hearing:
hh

When an ambulance goes by.
When you’re waiting for the subway.
hh When you attend a parade.
hh

• When you and your child find listening enjoyable, emphasize the pleasure of healthy hearing:
hh

On a hike, hearing a bird singing or wind in the trees.
Hearing the sound of wind chimes.
hh Listening to a favorite band playing.
hh

• Praise your child for healthy hearing choices.
• Make sure your child gets a hearing test every year.
• Keep earplugs and earmuffs handy.
Believe it or not, the research shows that preteens actually do listen to their parents. And they watch their parents’ for behavior
cues. You can help your children develop healthy, life-long hearing habits.
For more suggestions, visit the Noisy Planet website at www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD) sponsors It’s a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing. This national
public education campaign is designed to increase awareness among parents of
children ages 8 to 12 about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing
loss (NIHL). With this information, parents and other adults can encourage
children to adopt healthy hearing habits before and during the time that they
develop listening, leisure, and working habits. To find out more about how to
protect your hearing and that of your family, visit the Noisy Planet website at:
www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov.

NIH Publication No. 10–6433
October 2010
Reprinted October 2014

The Noisy Planet logo is a registered trademark of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®
Fact Sheet B: Icon

For more information about your hearing and hearing loss, contact:
NIDCD Information Clearinghouse
1 Communication Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-3456
Voice: (800) 241-1044
TTY: (800) 241-1055
Fax: (301) 770-8977
E-mail: [email protected]

Draft for Testing Only

6

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Possible
Web Page
A: Wave

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Possible
Web Page
B: Icon

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