Play It Safe With Your Ears. Play It Safe With Your Health.
For Middle
School Students
-------
earing Health;
"Dear Student:
Noise is defined as any unwanted or disagreeable sound. Noise is all around you and may
be polluting the environment where you live, learn, and play. Noise in your environment can
become harmful when it interferes u//f/i your normal activities, such as sleeping or talking,
or when it affects your health, such as your ability to hear.
There are sounds that you enjoy and may not consider to be noise, like the music of your
favorite band or musician. V/hen you listen to the music of your favorite band or musician,
you may crank up the volume and listen to it for hours. This is when it can potentially
become harmful. The louder the sound and the longer you listen to it, the more likely it is
that damage will occur to your hearing.
Damage to your ears should not be your only concern. Noise can not only harm your
hearing—it can also make it hard to concentrate while reading or doing homework, make
you frustrated, prevent you from falling asleep, and make it hard to communicate u//f/i your
family and friends. It is important that you learn about noise and how to identify when it is
harmful to you and others.
There are steps you can take to protect your hearing and your health from the effects
of loud sound, such as turning down the volume, wearing hearing
protectors such as earplugs or earmuffs, and making your
environment noise-free. This booklet will provide you with
information on noise and steps to take to protect yourself from
the harmful effects of noise.
You only have one pair of ears, so treat them well by
protecting them from noise.
US. E-nvironmental "Protection Agency
Office of Air and "Radiation
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What happens inside the ear when you hear sounds?
Outer
Ear
Inner
Ear
Your ears are amazing
instruments! Each ear is
divided into three parts: the
outer ear, middle ear, and
inner ear. The three parts
work together so you can
hear sound.
• Hearing starts at the outer
ear, which carries sound
from the air through the
ear canal to the eardrum.
•The eardrum vibrates,
which causes three bones
(malleus, incus, and stapes)
in the middle ear to move
mechanically.
• The middle ear sends
mechanical vibrations to the
inner ear (cochlea) where
they are picked up by hair
cells, which send electrical
impulses to the brain.
The tiny hair cells in the inner ear are very important. Why? Because
when those hair cells are damaged, they do not heal and can cause
hearing loss. Think of hair cells as blades of grass. When you walk on
grass the blades spring back up but if you walk over them too much,
the blades stop springing back, and the grass flattens out. The same
thing happens in your ears when you listen to sounds that are too loud
for a long time—they may damage the tiny hair cells in your inner ears.
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Sound is measured in units called
decibels (des-iv/?-bels).The greater
the number of decibels, the louder
the sound and the more harmful it is
to your ears. The sound thermometer
gives you an idea of how loud some
sounds are. If you are exposed to
sound at 85 decibels and above, it
may harm your hearing.
Sound Thermometer
(courtesy of Dangerous Decibels)
180 Rocket Launch ^
175
170
165
155
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1
145 ^
Fireworks, Gunshot j+
1 oO Airplane (from 100ft.) ^
125 Police Siren, Jack Hammer Sj
11 c: Rock Concert, Thunderclap 5
MO (Q
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1 \X^^ L
Garbage Truck
95
Roar of Crowd at Sporting Event
orr Gas Lawn Mower
L
Busy City Traffic
~ic Washing Machine, Vacuum Cleaner
65
Talking Normally
55
Rainfall
45
35
25
Whisp
15
5
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0 Softest Sound You Can Hear
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Noise iS everywhere — at home, school, and even at fun activities—and
some noise can reach potentially damaging levels. As you learned earlier, too much noise
can be bad for you, and prolonged exposure to sound at 85 decibels and above can harm
your hearing. If you can avoid noise that is too loud, you should, but if you have to be
around noise that is loud, you should wear hearing protectors.
What are hearing protectors?
Hearing protectors are devices, such as earplugs or earmuffs, that are worn to reduce the
level of sound entering your ears.
EARPLUGS are inserted into the ear canals, and EARMUFFS are
worn over the ears. Both earplugs and earmuffs come in different
styles, colors, and sizes. Be sure that your earplugs or earmuffs are
child-size, to fit your ears or your head.
When should you wear hearing protectors?
Hearing protectors should be worn when you are exposed to sound
that is 85 decibels and above. Use the sound thermometer on the
previous page to judge the sound level of noise sources in your life.
Hearing protectors should be worn:
At home
• mowing the lawn
• around someone who is operating power tools
At school
• school band or band class
• sporting events, such as football or basketball games
• cheerleading competition
Earplugs
At play
• video games
• music concert
• fireworks show
• car races
• hunting
Earmuffs
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Noise can harm more than just your hearing; it can also cause harm to your health. While at
home, school, or play, think quiet.. .to keep your ears and health from being harmed by noise.
While at home, noise can cause problems like:
• Trouble sleeping
• Headaches
• Trouble concentrating on your homework
• Difficulty hearing your family members
While at school, noise can cause you to:
• Have trouble concentrating
• Become frustrated when you can't hear
• Not think clearly
• Have difficulty hearing your teacher and classmates
While at play, the sound is too loud if:
• You can't hear the person next to you
• It shakes or vibrates your body
• You hear a ringing sound in your ears after exposure to loud sounds
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Unscramble the letters below to find words that relate to sound and your hearing.
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e Knowledge
Across
1. Sound is carried through the ear canal
to the .
Down
2.
.are hearing protectors that
are inserted into the ear canals.
4. Earplugs and earmuffs are also know
as hearing .
3. Sound causes the eardrum to
5. The greater the number of decibels,
the the sound.
9. Loud sounds can be
your hearing.
to
10. Hair
do not heal once they
are damaged.
12. Hearing starts at the
ear.
13.An
is a certified
professional who evaluates how well
you hear sound.
17. Each ear has
main parts.
18.
at 85 decibels and above
can harm your hearing.
6. Turn down the
on your
television, video game, or music
player.
7. The middle ear sends
vibrations to the cochlea.
8. Sound is measured in units called
11. Any unwanted or disagreeable sound
is defined as .
14. The three bones—malleus, incus,
and stapes—are located in the
ear.
15. Homework and studying should be
done in a place.
16. in the ears can be a sign
that you have been exposed to loud
sounds.
19. Noise can harm your hearing and your
20. The cochlea is located in the
ear.
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Sound at 85 decibels and above can harm your hearing. To prevent damage to your hearing,
you should avoid prolonged exposure to loud sounds or wear hearing protectors when
possible. Circle the 9 photos below that show activities that might produce sound at
85 decibels and above. Hint: use the sound thermometer to help identify the sound level.
Listening to music on your
music player.
Birds singing in the trees.
A clap of thunder.
A garbage truck emptying
trash cans.
Heavy traffic in the city.
Whispering into your
friends ear.
Mowing the lawn with a
gas mower.
Rain falling on your umbrella.
A construction worker
operating a jack hammer.
Playing an electric guitar.
Watching fireworks.
Playing video games.
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There are 20 words hidden in this word search that relate to sound and your hearing.
Can you find them? Don't forget to look up, down, forward, backward, and diagonal!
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You should see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms on a
regular basis:
• Asking people to repeat themselves
• Hearing ringing, roaring, or hissing sounds after exposure to loud sounds
• Noticing that the volume on the television or radio is not high enough
• Straining to understand a conversation
The type of doctor that you will see for help is one of the following:
OTOLARYNGOLOGIST[o-to-lar-en-ga-le-jist]
The otolaryngologist is a medical doctor who may look into your ears,
nose, and throat, and give you medicine or recommend that you go
to an audiologist for a complete hearing evaluation or rehabilitation
(special training).
AUDIOLOGIST [o-de-a-le-jist]
The audiologist, a certified or licensed professional, may give you a
complete hearing evaluation to measure your hearing abilities. If you
have a hearing impairment, the audiologist will tell you how serious
it is, what type it is, and what can be done to help you live with your
hearing impairment. If you need it, the audiologist may recommend a
hearing aid and help you select one.
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Start protecting your hearing and your
health today!
• Homework and studying should be done in a quiet place.
• Turn down the volume on your television, video game, radio, and music player.
• Walk away from sound that is too loud.
• Wear hearing protectors while attending or participating in loud activities.
• Inform your parents or teacher when you are having difficulty hearing.
• If you hear a ringing sound in your ears after exposure to loud sounds,
please tell your parents.
• Teach classmates, friends, and family about noise.
List other things you can do:
To learn more, visit
www.epa.gov/air/noise.html
Other Resources:
www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/noise
www.dangerousdecibels.org
www.hearingconservation.org
www.listentoyourbuds.org
www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov
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DECIBEL
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Cut out the bookmark below. Use it to mark your page and to remind you of the sounds
that can be harmful and how to protect your hearing and health.
oV Cut along
the dotted line.
What is Too Loud?
Sound at 85 decibels and
above can harm your hearing.
180 Rocket Launch
175
170
165
155
145
Fireworks, Gunshot
135 Airplane(fromimH.)
125 Police Siren, Jack Hammer
* * r- Rock Concert, Thunderclap
I 13
Stereo Headphones
105 (with the volume turned upl
ni_ Garbage Truck
Roar of Crowd at Sporting Event
Gas Lawn Mower
Busy City Traffic
-7C Washing Machine. Vacuum Cleaner
I
Talking Normally
Softest Sound You Can Hear
www.dangerousdecibels.com
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&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Air and Radiation
Washington, D.C. 20460
EPA-410-F-09-002
www.epa.gov/air/noise.html
November 2009
Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper
with a minimum 50% post-consumer
waste, processed chlorine-free, using
vegetable-based inks.
Protect
Your Hearing and
Your Health!
| Remember, not all sounds
are harmful. But the louder
| the sound and the longer you
listen to it, the more harmful it
i is to your ears and your health.
• Turn down the volume on
| your television, video game,
radio, and music player.
I • Walk away from sound that
( is too loud.
• Wear hearing protectors
I when needed.
• Tell your parents, a trusted
| adult, or a teacher when
you can't hear or if you hear
I a ringing sound in your
ears after exposure to loud
i sounds.
Visit www.epa.gov/air/noise.html
I for more information.
i
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