Recently we've decided to restrict just how much he uses his headphones. They can quietly cause hearing issues for children down the road especially if they're the wrong kind, or not used properly.
According to a recent study by the American Medical Association, 20 percent of American adolescents have some form of hearing loss, thanks in part to a combination of those "ear-bud" style headphones.
The regular headphones tend to be safer than ear-buds. Many experts say, headphones consist of small speakers that are held close to the ear, while ear-buds actually go into the ear.
If the music is too loud with ear-buds, a young ear can really be injured.
Volume control is the key but also frequency (not the radio kind). Some pediatricians recommend children take a break from headphones every 20 minutes or so.
Others suggest buying your child noise-cancelling headphones, because they drown out background sounds, so a child is less tempted to crank up the music.
Here are some other tips:
1. Check your youngster's headphones periodically to make sure the volume is being kept low.
2. Stand next to them to see if you can hear their music and if you can it's too loud.
3. Model good listening habits yourself to set an example for your child.
So if it seems like your child is not hearing you when you tell them to do their home-work or to clean up their room, it may be because they can't and their headphones are too loud.
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