In a national poll conducted in the US, two out of three parents said their elementary or middle school-aged children use audio devices, and it is increasingly common to wear headphones. However, this poses significant risks to children’s health, as experts warn.

According to the survey by CSMott Children’s Hospital of the University of Michigan in the USA, two out of three parents say that their child between the ages of 5-12 uses personal audio devices. Among parents who reported that their children use headphones and earbuds, half said their children spend at least an hour a day using them, while one in six said a typical day for their child includes at least two hours of use.

Children are most likely to use these devices at home, at school and in the car, while less than 10% of parents say their children use them on the bus, outside or in bed. Half of parents report that headphones help their child to be entertained.

According to the poll, more parents of 9-12-year-olds than 5-8-year-olds report that their child uses headphones, while daily use was also more likely to be higher in the older age group.

However, prolonged or extreme exposure to high noise levels, experts point out, can lead to long-term health problems, including hearing loss or tinnitus. Also, noise exposure can affect children’s sleep, learning, language, stress levels and even blood pressure.

“Noise exposure risks for young children have historically been about single, loud events such as concerts or fireworks, but parents may underestimate the potential harm from overuse of hearing aids,” says hospital pediatrician Susan Woolford and poll co-director.

She explains that “young children are more vulnerable to potential harm from noise exposure because their auditory system is still developing. Their auditory canals are also smaller than adults’, intensifying perceived sound levels.”

Only half of the parents surveyed said they have tried to limit their child’s use of audio devices. Parents whose child uses headphones for more than two hours a day are also less likely to set time or volume limits compared to parents who report less use of headphones by their child.

Ms Wolford notes four tips for reducing the risks of children being exposed to noise through headphones:

  • – For parents to monitor and regulate the volume of sound and the time of use of the devices by the child following the 60/60 rule, i.e. children should be limited to no more than 60 minutes of use of audio devices per day at a volume not exceeding 60% of maximum intensity.
  • – Parents should buy noise-cancelling or volume-limiting headphones for children
  • – Parents should help children take breaks from personal listening devices
  • – Parents should be alert for early signs of hearing loss due to the use of audio devices and refer to a pediatrician, otolaryngologist or audiologist.