Bringing Babies to Concerts
Want to bring your baby along to a concert? More and more parents are doing it. But is it really a good idea, when the volume often goes well above safe levels?
How Sound Affects Children’s Hearing
There are few studies on the ways that noise affects newborns and children. You might think that their brand-new auditory systems are more resilient to noise, but you would be mistaken. Generally, we believe that young children’s hearing is just as sensitive as adults’, even though there is no scientific literature to support this at the moment. Children may even hear some sounds louder than adults because their auditory canals are shorter.
Noise Levels at Concerts
The higher the volume, the quicker the damage sets in. During a concert, the music is generally between 85 and 120 decibels. At 85 decibels, hearing may become damaged after approximately 50 minutes of listening. At 120 decibels, damage may begin after only a few seconds.
Following exposure to loud noise, people may experience temporary hearing loss (also known as auditory fatigue). This may be accompanied by a feeling of plugged ears (sounds become muffled) and tinnitus. Regularly attending concerts may cause the temporary auditory fatigue to build up until it becomes permanent.
Should I Bring My Baby to a Concert?
Currently, there are no clear indications against doing so, but it’s still a good idea to be careful. Here are some tips:
Stay as far away from the speakers as possible.
Use hearing protectors. Pick up a pair of earmuffs for children, ensuring that they are comfortable.
Give your child’s ears time to recover between exposures. If you’re attending multiple concerts, we recommend taking a “sound break” between shows. Generally, sound breaks should last twice as long as the exposure to noise. For instance, if a show is two hours long, you should take four hours to recover.
We recommend being especially careful with children who are taking medication that may harm their ears (ototoxic medications). These children are even more vulnerable to loud music and should avoid loud environments as much as possible. Talk to a healthcare professional to learn more.
Loud music in a crowd can also be uncomfortable for children. Watch out for signs that your little one is unhappy. After all, they should be having a good time too!
References: Bruit et société. Effets du bruit sur l’audition. 2005. Online. www.bruitsociete.ca/fr-ca/thematique_cat.aspx?catid=2&scatid=10. Consulted on January 22, 2019. THAKUR, N., BATRA, P. and GUPTA, P. Noise as a health hazard for children: time to make a noise about it. Indian Pediatrics, 53(2), 111-114. 2016. VIET, S. M., DELLARCO, M., DEARBORN, D. G. and NEITZEL, R. Assessment of Noise Exposure to Children: Considerations for the National Children’s Study. Journal of Pregnancy and Child Health, 1(1). 2014.