When you think about hearing loss, you may think about older adults losing their hearing. However, these days children and teenagers are at a higher risk for losing their hearing. If you are a parent worried about your teenaged child losing their hearing there are ways that you can minimize their risks. 

Ditch the Earbuds

Earbuds are a really popular pairing with music devices and smartphones. That's because they are small, unobtrusive, and easy to store. The problem with them is that they don't necessarily isolate the background noise well, so you have to listen to the music louder in order to hear it. The earbuds direct the noise straight down towards your ear drum and can damage the tiny bones that make your hearing work. Headphones are making a comeback. That's because they can block out the background noise better, giving the listener a better experience. Since they also block out background noise better, the listener doesn't have to turn their music up as high. Your child can see a lot of other people out there using those old-school looking headphones, so they won't feel out of place. 

Limit the Volume

Many of the music devices or smartphones have a way to limit the volume of the music or games. You can find that setting and adjust the volume so it never actually reaches the maximum volume of the device. This one may work better on a younger child or tween than it would on older teens because teens tend to think they know everything, and may argue with you about it. 

Limit Listening Time

The longer your child listens to their music device, the more likely they are to incur damage to their hearing. A good rule of thumb is to not listen for longer than an hour a day if they are using earbuds. Your child may not like that limit, but if they are using headphones or speakers, they can listen longer. You should also make sure that your teenager also takes a break from listening to some music no matter what kind of sound delivery system they are using. Some quiet will let their brains rest, as well as their ears. 

You want to make sure that your child has their hearing for a long time. Knowing what you can do to help minimize their risk of hearing loss means that they will be able to hear everything for a long time. Contact a local hearing specialist, like Abingdon Falls Plaza Hearing Center, for more info.