With the onset of the holiday season, many interesting toys have been introduced in the market. As a word of caution, scientists from the University of California have put forth that certain popular children toys could permanently impair the hearing abilities of kids.
The team has urged parents to not allow their child misuse these toys. For the analysis, the investigators calculated the noise levels of nearly 2 dozen famous toys out in the market. They purchased 10 toys with delivered the noisiest performance for gauging the precise measurements in a soundproof booth.
The outcomes showed that the noise levels of almost all the toys seemingly surpassed 90 decibels and many of them touched 100 decibels and above. These noise levels are similar to those observed in a train or power mower.
“Generally, toys are safe if used properly. We tested the sound levels at the speaker and again at 12 inches, which is about the length of a toddler’s arm,” commented Dr. Hamid Djalilian, associate professor of otolaryngology and director of neurotology and skull base surgery.
Some noisy toys if held too close to the ears could cause irreparable damage to the kids’ ears, especially because children are very sensitive to loud or high-pitched acoustics. Proper usage of toys is crucial because hearing loss presently has no efficient therapeutic option.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology has stated that exposure to any sound which is more than 85 decibels for a continuing period may cause permanent hearing loss. Both, the sound duration and loudness could affect the hearing capacity of a person.
Guardians buying toys for children should observe the location of the speaker in the toy, the team urged. A speaker situated at the lower panel of the toy is better off than an audio system present on the top. Also, parents must trial the sound of the toy themselves to see if it hurts their ears. If it does, than it is possibly very loud for the kid.