About 20% of children have permanent hearing loss caused mostly by exposureto loud noise, according to the Hearing Health Foundation.
Still, listening to music with earbuds is not a major cause of hearing loss,says Dr. Robert Dobie, a clinical professor of otolaryngology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Instead, other common exposures to loud noise are much more likely to hurt your child’s ears, he says.
A lot more kids lose hearing from recreational shooting or hunting than from loud music, Dobie says.
That’s not to say earbuds are always safe.
Playing music loudly- especially to block out background noise can damage hearing.
If children hear ringing in their ears when they pull out their buds, or if the world sounds a little muffled, that’s a sure signthey need to turn down the volume.
But as long as the buds stay at a reasonable volume, Dobie says, there’s not much evidence that they offer any unique risks.
