Parents: Is It Safe to Take Your Baby to a Concert?
Parents recently interviewed Abhita Reddy, MD, pediatric otolaryngologist at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, about whether babies can safely attend a long, loud concert amid recent headlines of infants at shows.
Reddy told Parents there are several factors—such as genre of music, distance from stage and size of venue—that affect sound levels. Noise at concerts can range from 90 to 120 decibels, she said, adding that even short exposure to sound between 90 and 95 decibels can harm a baby’s hearing.
“We do not recommend any prolonged ... exposure for anything over 95 decibels, as even a few minutes of exposure can cause permanent hearing loss,” Reddy said.
Experts said that babies’ auditory systems are still developing, and attending a concert can increase the risk of permanent hearing loss, heightened sound sensitivity and ringing in the ears.
If parents choose to bring a baby to a concert, Reddy recommends purchasing headphones that cover the entire ear and can reduce noise by 20 to 30 decibels. She also suggests downloading an app to measure sound levels when seated.
Despite the availability and popularity of noise-reducing headphones, Reddy does not advise taking a baby to a big concert. She cautioned that the headphones marketed for babies are not well regulated and music volume can vary by location.
“Overall, taking small children to large concerts is not recommended given the lack of regulation surrounding sound standards at different venues,” Reddy told Parents.
Experts said other risks include secondhand smoke exposure or an increased chance of an accident occurring due to potentially intoxicated attendees.
Read the complete article from Parents.