Goderich Signal Star, 2011-12-21, Page 21nal Star • Wednesday, December 21, 2011
3
isy toys may permanently damage kids' hearing: study
if you plan on buying a Toy
Story Buzz Lightyear.
Cosmic Blaster or a Green
Lantern Colossal Cannon
for your little one for
Christmas, you can take
steps to ensure they don't
blow their eardrums out
cy
plan on buying a Toy Story Buzz
r Cosmic Blaster or a Green l.an-
)ssal Cannon for your little one for
!s, you can take steps to ensure they
their eardrums out.
p of doctors says that kids may risk
ent hearing damage by misusing.
id a list of other toys.
Or study, researchers from UC
Irvine's Department of Otolaryngology
measured the noise levels of 24 popular toys
in stores and purchased the 10 loudest for
precise gauging in a soundproof booth.
They found that all exceeded 90 decibels
and several reached loo or more, equivalent
to the noise of a chain saw, subway train or
power mower.
`Generally, toys are safe if used properly,"
Dr. Hamid Djalilian, associate professor of
otolaryngology, said in a statement.. "We
tested the sound levels at the speaker and
again at 12 inches, which is about the length
of a toddler's arm. "But problems can arise
if a noisy toy is held too close to the ears, he
said.
"Children are very sensitive to loud and
high-pitched sounds. Unfortunately, hear-
ing loss from noise damage is permanent
and not currently curable.
"The study says that unprotected expo-
sure to sounds above 85 decibels for a pro-
longed period can leadto hearing
impairment.
Two factors - loudness and
duration- contribute to this, Djalilian
noted, Me louder a sound is, the less time
it takes to cause hearing loss.
He suggested that someone buying a
noisy toy for a child pay attention to the
speaker's location -- under the item is
often better than on top.
He also recommended that an adult
hold the toy as a youngster would and lis-
ten to its sound.
"If it hurts your ears," he said, "then it's
probably too loud for a child."
All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
Helping Huron Smile, a Huron County Health Unit dental program for families living with
low incomes, donated hundreds of toothbrushes to the Christmas Bureau. with their
biggest smiles are (left to right): Amanda Fisher -S alr (Dental Support Staff), Kim
Roetcisoender (Dental Assistant), Dr. Nancy Cameron (Medical Officer of Health), Barb
Hogan from the Christmas Bureau, Sarah Merisel (Dental Health Promoter) and Christina
Taylor (Public Health Manager). Missing is Trina O'Rourke (Dental Hygienic.
Ws'skingour customers and
rimae a very Merry Cliristmas
and a Happy New Year.
From the staff at
C&E Furniture
5247231
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