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<\/p>\nLos Angeles is closely associated with the golden age of cinema, and movies remain a favorite pastime for residents of southern California, even if the theater-going experience has changed over the years. Some parents are so enraptured with the latest Terminator flick they insist on bringing their infant along, but this is a bad idea for many reasons.<\/p>\n
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We understand that parents of newborns crave a break and want a night out on the town, but if they can\u2019t find a sitter, they\u2019re better off staying home. Bringing a baby to the movies<\/strong> isn\u2019t only disruptive to other patrons, but can cause irreversible damage to little ears<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Few parents would dream of taking their babies for a drive without ensuring they were safely secured in a car seat, and most ensure electrical outlets are covered and dangling drapery cords tied up, yet a movie theater is every bit as potentially hazardous to a baby\u2019s health.<\/p>\n You might assume your newborn will just sleep through the film, but even if they do, loud noise may cause irreparable harm to their hearing<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brian Reilly, M.D<\/a>., co-director of the Cochlear Implant Program at Children\u2019s National Hospital, told Romper<\/em> magazine:<\/p>\n \u201cAny exposure to loud sounds, especially above 70 to 80 dB level, puts an infant\u2019s ears at risk and places these vulnerable patients in jeopardy for permanent damage to hearing. Movie theaters are too loud.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Typical movie sounds register below 85 decibels<\/strong>, considered the threshold for safe hearing, but this isn\u2019t always the case.<\/p>\n An NBC News report illustrates the dangers posed by some movies<\/a>; for example, \u201cThe Magnificent Seven,\u201d a western with gunfire sequences, registered 97.2 dB in places<\/strong> and two other popular films were even louder: \u201cStorks,\u201d geared toward kids, measured 99.3 dB<\/strong> and \u201cDeepwater Horizon\u201d climbed as high as 104.9 dB<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Sounds that loud can cause irreversible hearing loss<\/a> after just a few minutes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the cumulative effects over time that are most concerning. Exposure to sounds exceeding 85 dB can cause permanent damage after eight hours<\/strong>, but according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, for every\u00a0 three dB increase in noise, your safe listening time is cut in half<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This means that a noise measuring 100 dB can cause hearing impairment in only 15 minutes<\/strong>. Exposure to a 90 dB sound level for a few minutes won\u2019t cause harm, but if a two-hour movie averages 90 dB and you take your baby to the movies on a regular basis, hearing loss may develop over time. Worse still, very loud sounds that exceed 130 dB can cause an instantaneous loss of hearing<\/strong>. While these sounds are typically associated with guns or fireworks, there are a few action flicks that come close in key scenes.<\/p>\n If you absolutely insist on bringing a newborn to a movie theater, it\u2019s imperative you protect their hearing. Look for quality earmuffs designed for hearing protection<\/a> instead of small earplugs, which could end up in a baby\u2019s mouth, representing a choking hazard if swallowed.<\/p>\nCan loud noise hurt babies ears?<\/h3>\n
How loud is the average movie theater sound track?<\/h3>\n
How loud can a movie theater sound track become?<\/h3>\n
How quickly can this damage a baby’s hearing?<\/h4>\n
Constant loud audio does the most damage to children’s hearing<\/h2>\n
How can you protect a newborn at the movie theater?<\/h3>\n