Don't Lose The Music is brought to you by RNID

How can I safeguard my baby’s ears?

Small children have tiny ears that can be more sensitive than adult ears to certain high-pitched sounds. Often noise is made up of lots of different pitches of sound, so it is difficult to say when a small child is more at risk. Therefore, it is important to look after your child’s hearing whatever age they are.

Some toys, such as cap guns and electronic toys, can produce dangerously loud sounds if they are held close to a child's head. You should stop your children from playing with toys that make a loud sound close to their ears.

Gwyneth Paltrow with Apple Martin

If you are taking a baby or young child to an environment where loud music is played you should remember the following:

  • Hearing protection advice is applicable to everyone no matter what age - this means being aware, taking frequent breaks from loud noise and using hearing protection devices eg earplugs/muffs.
  • For a young child, earplugs are problematic because they are a choking hazard.  Also, at that age, their ears will be changing in size rapidly so they might need different sizes as time goes on, and on a regular basis.
  • Inserting earplugs into a child's ears without hurting them may be difficult to do properly as they have smaller ears.  Earmuffs could be the better option but should always be used with adult supervision.  As babies’ skull bones are still flexible it will be important to use earmuffs which are specifically designed for the age of your child.  If in doubt, check with the supplier’s instructions or your GP.