By Maya Listman


Some toys are harming your nieces’ and nephews’ hearing. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even the most innocuous toys may be doing the damage.

The TODAY Show’s national investigative correspondent, Jeff Rossen, met with Dr. Sandra Levey, a speech and hearing specialist who gave Rossen a better idea of how loud certain sounds really are. Whispering is 30 decibels and conversation is 60 decibels, but even relatively simple toys for children can reach over 90 decibels, which is a dangerous level for their hearing. For example, a raddle hit 90 decibels which is just as loud as an electric drill, a wheel toy which hit 91 decibels is as loud as a hair dryer, and even more surprising, a toy horn hit 106 decibels - as loud as the sirens on an ambulance!

The effect of toys that are too loud is called “noise induced hearing loss. The hearing loss happens gradually, resulting from damage to structures in the inner ear that respond to sound. Exposure to loud sounds, over 85 decibels, cannot be medically or surgically reduced or corrected. It is estimated that 12.5 percent of children suffer from permanent hearing damage as a result of excessive noise.   

While many fun toys are not quiet, and your nieces and nephews may already have some that reach higher decibels then recommended, there are some safeguards. First, download a free decibel meter app on your phone so you know how loud a toy is by testing it before you buy it. Make sure the children play with toys on the lowest volume level. And for the toys they love that are still too loud no matter the volume level, simply stick duct tape over the speaker to reduce the noise.

Photo: oksun70
Published: December 29, 2015