Lots of Indigenous adults and kids live with loud noise, especially at home. Loud noise increases the chance of ear damage happening over time. Little kids hearing is easily damaged this way. Ear damage from loud noise does not get better like ear damage from infection can. Too much loud noise for little kids is a worry. It can hurt kid’s hearing for the rest of their lives.
Loud noise from music on mobile phones, iPods, TVs and stereos can hurt kid’s ears.
Loud noise from too many people yelling and shouting in the one place – like overcrowded houses – can hurt kid’s ears.
People with a hearing loss can make loud noise by turning up the TV or music to hear better or by talking real loud. This can hurt kid’s ears.
PARTIES AND DISCOS
Discos and parties that go on for a long, long time in people’s homes are very noisey. Little kids and babies cannot get away from this noise!
CAR TRIPS
Car trips are another time people listen loud! There can be loud music, loud singing and lots of shouting to hear each other over the music. Little kids and babies can not get away from this noise!
KIDS AND TV
Some families use TV to keep kids safe and inside the house where they know where they are and what they are doing. But are their ears safe?
Some kids spend too much time watching loud TV – up to 12 hours a day on a weekend.
Kids often watch TV by themselves and some like to ‘listen loud’ by turning the volume up. Kids with hearing loss because of ear disease are often the ones who want to turn the volume up.
HEADPHONES
Headphones make it easier to hear music but listening to loud music through headphones can damage ears.
If it is really noisy kids will turn the volume up high to hear better – even with headphones on! They don’t know it is hurting their ears.
Using headphones blocks out noise around kids helping them hear the music better when it is noisy at home. 15 minutes a day of ‘loud listening’ with small in the ear headphones damages hearing over time. This damage won’t go away.
SCREAMING AND SHOUTING
Kids often scream and shout when they play or are upset. If they scream a lot then this can add to the noise that over time can damage ears.
In crowded houses it is noisy. People are talking, TV or music is playing and kids are playing nearby. They start shouting over the noise. Then someone turns the TV volume up. Then the kids shout even louder. Everything gets louder. Kids who have hearing loss because of ear disease often make the most noise. Everyone is damaging their hearing from all the noise, but especially young kids.
GUNS
Families like to go hunting together. When kids get too close to guns being fired, it can quickly damage their ears forever. When people are shooting it is really important to wear ear protectors and keep children away when shooting is happening.
