Noisy Toys May Be Hazardous to Your Family’s Hearing Health

Posted on by Pinnacle ENT Associates

With holiday gift shopping in full swing, learning which noisy toys may contribute to hearing loss for kids and their caregivers is a fa-la-la-la-fabulous idea. 

They Can Create a Real Racket

child playing drums

Hearing damage from a toy can occur when it emits any sound that measures 90dB or higher. Kids make the likelihood of damage much greater because they often hold toys closer to their ears due to their short arm span or hold them too close to their caregivers’ ears. A child who does this can make a 90dB sound grow as loud as 120dB, potentially causing permanent hearing loss.1 

Which Toys Could Harm Hearing?

According to the Center for Hearing and Communication, the following toy types could result in hearing loss because they create sounds over 90dB. 

  • Certain rattles and squeaky toys can emit 110 dB sounds.
  • Musical toys, such as electric guitars, drums and horns, may produce sounds as loud as 120 dB.
  • Toy phones for small children can clock in at between 123 and 129 dB.
  • Toys designed to amplify the voice have been measured at 135 dB.
  • Toys producing firearm sounds emit volumes as loud as 150 dB one foot away from the noise source.2

Take Steps to Protect Ears of All Sizes

Santa Claus may be coming to town soon, but you can make sure his sleigh isn’t full of noisy toys (or make them less loud if they are).  

Try before you buy—If the toy sounds too loud, it probably is. Don’t purchase it. 

Muffle the sound—Placing duct tape over the speakers will help. 

Bye-bye batteries—Remove batteries from toys that emit too much noise. 

Get rid of the toy—Your loved ones’ ears will thank you. 

You can also give low-volume gifts, such as puzzles, board games, coloring books and Legos, which lets your child have fun without potentially damaging their (or your) hearing. 

However, if you believe you or a loved one has hearing loss, don’t wait until the holidays are over to get help. Request a hearing evaluation today!

1 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Noisy toys. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/noisy-toys/  
2 Cochary, J. (2021, May 15). Noisy toys. Center for Hearing and Communication. https://noiseawareness.org/info-center/noisy-toys/