Book 14, Question 128
Why Do Ear Defenders Matter at Fireworks, Motor Races, and Loud Concerts?
Ear defenders matter at fireworks, motor races, and loud concerts because those sounds are very strong, and they can be too much for your ears! Ear defenders turn the volume down so you can enjoy the show comfortably and safely.
More fun facts
- Sounds can harm your hearing when they are too loud, even for a short time.
- One very loud burst, like an explosion, can cause hearing loss.
- Very loud bursts can even tear the eardrum or hurt the tiny bones in the middle ear, and that harm can be instant and permanent.
- The louder the sound, the less time it takes to damage hearing.
- Hearing loss from noise can happen at any age, including to children and teens.
- Sometimes loud noise causes hearing loss that fades 16 to 48 hours later, but some lasting damage may remain.
- Hearing loss from noise is the only kind of hearing loss that can be fully prevented.
Sources: National Institutes of Health
Questions kids ask
What if you cannot make a loud noise quieter?
Move away from it, and help protect the ears of young children who are too little to protect their own.