Earbuds and Headphones Pose a Growing Threat to Young Kids’ Hearing

Earbuds and headphones are becoming increasingly popular with young kids, exposing them to more intense noise, experts warn.

In a new national poll, two out of three parents said their children, ages 5 to 12, regularly use earbuds and headphones and half said their 5-to-8-year-olds use the devices.

Most parents reported their kids use earbuds or headphones at least an hour a day, but 1 in 6 reported at least two hours of use.

The poll co-director says young children are more vulnerable to potential harm because their auditory systems are still developing.

She says, “Tiny hair cells inside the inner ear pick up sound waves to help you hear. When these get damaged or die, hearing loss is irreversible.”

She says intense noise exposure can also affect a child’s sleep, school performance, language, stress and blood pressure.

To help reduce the risk, she recommends parents limit audio device usage to no more than 60 minutes a day at no more than 60% maximum volume, use noise-cancelling devices when safe and schedule device-free time.