Doctors Urge Parents to Lower Volume Controls on Holiday
Electronics MONDAY Dec. 21, 2009 -- If you're giving your
teenager an iPod or other music player this holiday season,
consider a bonus present to help their hearing: Preset the top
volume level to one-half or two-thirds of the actual maximum.
That's the advice from specialists at Vanderbilt University
Medical Center. They warn that sound over 85 decibels -- well
short of the volume limit some music players carry -- can cause
hearing loss. People are also at risk when they listen to music
for too long. "As parents, we can't hear how loud their music is
when they have the earbuds in, so this is an important step,"
Dr. Ron Eavey, chair of the medical center's Department of
Otolaryngology, said in a Vanderbilt news release. "I can tell
you that if you hear the music coming from their headphones, it
is too loud, but an easier way to know for sure is to preset the
device. This will still allow them to listen to and enjoy their
music but will safeguard against