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Sound Advice for iPod Users High volume can harm kids’ hearing As kids plug in their earphones and crank up the volume, “Can you hear me now?” threatens to become more than an advertising catchphrase. Experts say today’s small music players pose a big risk for hearing loss. One reason: The “earbuds” used with iPods and other MP3 players fit into the ears, not over them. This new feature boosts the sound signal around 5 to 6 decibels higher than regular earphones. The digital songs also are distortion-free. That invites kids to dial up the loudness with no loss of clarity. “These devices can produce sounds that exceed 85 decibels, the maximum safe occupational exposure in an eight hour day,” says Yusnita Weirather, audiologist at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children. “But advances in technology, like more song capacity and longer battery life, entice young people to listen longer.” Such constant pounding by loud noise, she warns, can cause permanent harm to the fragile inner ear hair cells. Because it doesn’t cause pain, she adds, the damage can sneak up years later. A more immediate risk involves so called iPod oblivion. Users tune out their surroundings so much that they risk accidents or assaults. To lessen the odds of hearing loss, Weirather and other experts urge mediaplayer users to: Tune them no higher than 60 percent of their top volume (a little over halfway on the dial). Take 15-minute “quiet” breaks every few hours, or limit use of the music player to one hour per day. See a doctor if ringing or buzzing in the ears lasts more than a day. Parents can ask for hearing tests at their child’s routine doctor visits. And Weirather has some more advice for parents: “If you have to shout to be heard by your child, or you can hear music from their headphones when you are 3 feet away, there’s a reasonable likelihood that they are listening to a level that, over time, could produce hearing loss. And it’s important to realize that, unlike hearing loss that comes with age and disease, noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable.” Yusnita Weirather, Audiologist Early Signs of Hearing Problems in Young Children Good hearing is important for a baby to learn to talk. If your child is experiencing speech problems, he may benefit from a hearing test, which can be done at any age. Kapi‘olani’s Rehabilitation Department offers audiology testing and hearing aids for newborns to adults. If you are concerned about your child’s hearing and speech development, talk with your child’s pediatrician about scheduling a hearing test. The following are signs to look for: From birth to 3 months of age — Your child does not react to loud sounds, does not react when spoken to, does not listen to speech or does not coo. From 4 to 6 months of age — Your child does not turn toward a new sound, does not repeat sounds (such as ooh, aah and ba-ba) or does not pay attention to noisy toys. From 7 to 12 months of age — Your child does not respond to her name, does not babble in groups of sounds and does not say any word clearly. From 12 to 24 months of age — Your child does not ask “why” questions, does not put two words together, does not follow simple directions or does not listen to a short story or song.