One child likes frothy pop songs. The other likes speed metal. Stereo headphones may seem like the easiest way to keep the peace during carpool, but there’s a downside to letting the kids crank up their favorite tunes.

Prolonged exposure to loud music can cause permanent hearing loss, and headphones do a very effective job of directing that high-decibel sound right at the sensitive nerve endings in the ear canal.

We hear when sound waves enter the ear and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations roll through the small bones in the middle ear and then to the auditory nerve in the inner ear. Your brain translates these impulses to sounds like music, voices, barking dogs, etc.

Sound above 90 decibels can damage or kill the tiny hair cells of the cochlea and lead to tinnitus, a constant ringing or buzzing sound that can be very disturbing. The louder the sound, the less time it takes for damage to occur.
Hearing loss is a concern for adult headphone users as well, but children, with their shorter ear canals, are even more vulnerable to damage.

Parents should monitor headphone use to make sure their children don’t have the volume turned up to dangerous levels. If you can hear your child’s favorite song while standing nearby, it’s TOO LOUD!