Not long ago we talked about white noise and how some babies calmed down and fell asleep listening to it. Well, a new study by doctors from the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto warn about possible damage when using white noise machines for long periods.
In the study several sounds of 14 noise producing machines were analyzed and the decibels emitted at three different distances were measured: at 30 cm it would be similar to placing the device on the railing of the cradle, 100 cm that would simulate the placement of the source of noise on a piece of furniture close to the cradle and 200 cm that would simulate its placement in a remote area within the same room.
The results were a bit alarming. All machines came to exceed the threshold of 50 decibels that is considered safe in hospitals. Three machines came to produce sounds so loud that listening for an hour could cause future hearing problems. All machines except one produced high decibel levels even at a distance of 200 cm.
"These machines are capable of generating dangerous noise levels. I am not talking about benign noise - they are capable of generating noise at levels that we do not even consider safe in our industries," said Dr. Blake Papsin of the Toronto Sick Kids Hospital, and co-author of the study.
Frequent exposure to white noise could affect hearing, speech and language development, and could cause possible hearing impairment.
AdvertisingAccording to the professor, it is possible to be able to use these machines safely, but without an adequate instruction manual or limitations on the decibels that the machine can emit, it will be difficult for it to be used properly.
"We know that parents are trying to do their best for their babies and their sleep, so we hope that this study informs the public about potential damage, and educates them about the proper use of the machine." Dr. Blake affirmed
The study recommends using noise machines for short periods and always at low volume and as far away from the baby as possible. He also recommends using music instead of white noise, since varying frequency is less harmful.
Baby's ear
Another of the warnings indicated in the study is that it seems quite likely that we are using safe noise levels that are not correct for babies since their ear canal is much more sensitive than that of an adult and therefore the pressure of Sound waves could affect them more than adults. Therefore, they recommend not exceeding the current limits.
It seems that we are again at another crossroads. They do not prohibit the use of this type of sound generators but do recommend using them in moderation and ensuring that the safety threshold is not exceeded (of course I do not think we all have a noise meter at home.) Hopefully companies take into account study and can manufacture machines with noise control. That is, noise yes, but short.
