Parent's can Learn the basics of children's health on the Educational CyberPlayground.
> So, I'm picking up my daughter from marching band rehearsal, & one of the kids drops the earbuds from their ipod off their head. It's SO loud I can hear it from 10 feet away!
Going Deaf? How did the music get so loud?
Read ASHA's DeskReference Guidelines
Audiological Assessment of Children Birth to 5 Years of Age and find
out how to protect the children from hearing loss due to all the
technology they stick inside their ears.
Babies remember music they heard in the womb.
My wife, who specializes in music induced hearing loss as part of her dual Audiology/Speech Pathology certifications, is currently involved in a research project that identifies the massive upsurge in this sort of damage. Earbuds are responsible for a large spike in significant hearing loss. The tragic thing about this sort of damage is that it can never be repaired, nor will it heal. It is permanent.
Every musician my
wife tests exhibits some degree of irreversible hearing loss. Some are
already exhibiting symptoms of tinnitus.
Even I exhibit some degree of the typical "musician's loss" and Elaine
uses my test results as an example in her workshops.
Hearing protection is a critical aspect of a musician's concerns and
yet it's unfortunately very often overlooked.
Your ears are perhaps your most important tool as a professional
musician, especially when you consider the fact that without your
hearing, you can not enjoy the fruits of your own labor.
Damage to the receptor cells in the human ear literally causes them to
die. In mammals these cells do not regenerate. Through prolonged
exposure to excessive decibel levels deafness to certain frequencies
occurs.
If a ringing in the ears is audible after exposure to a loud
environment, such as a rock concert or a work place, it means that
damage has been done. Prolonged exposure to noise levels as low as 70
dB can result in damage to your hearing. If you can't limit your
exposure, earplugs or ear defenders should be worn. For musicians and
DJs, special musicians' earplugs can lower the volume of the music
without distorting the sound and can prevent tinnitus from developing
in later years. Elaine strongly recommends these custom earplugs for
musicians.
Drum throne bass shakers for drummers help them feel the low end and
keep their monitor volume down. In-ear monitors are HIGHLY
recommended. Used in combination they could help save what's left of
your drummer's hearing and his bandmates' as well.