Infant Hearing Protection: Birth Through 3 Years
Ear plugs can be a choking hazard if they fall out -- or if they're pulled out by your kids. Too, it can be hard to insert earplugs into an infant's tiny ear canals without hurting the child, while still creating an airtight seal (without this seal, ear plugs can't provide their rated hearing protection). We recommend ear muffs for kids for noise protection, and moldable silicone ear plugs worn under an Ear Band-It headband for water protection and for pressure-and-noise relief when flying.
Child Hearing Protection: Kids Over 3 Years
Children over three years of age can also wear Ear Muffs for Kids, most of which fit infants to small adults. Kids usually prefer the muffs until they get old enough to care what the other kids think; then children prefer less-conspicuous ear plugs. For wear during sleep and for water protection, we recommend child-size moldable silicone ear plugs because they are the most comfortable. For water, we recommend adding the Ear Band-It which helps keep ear plugs in place at the pool. Children over 3 can also wear reusable child-size ear plugs, which last for many uses, saving money in the long run.
Kids with Noise Sensitivity
We hear more often these days from parents with children who have mild to severe noise sensitivities including many children with autism spectrum disorders in particular. These children often benefit dramatically from using ear muffs or ear plugs to defend them against their noisy world. Other parents tell us their kids do better in school, score better on tests and find it easier to concentrate and complete their schoolwork when they use ear plugs or ear muffs. If your child is having trouble, ear plugs, though they may seem an unlikely solution, are a safe alternative to drugs you might want to try. Let us know how it works out if you do, and we will share your experiences with other parents in hopes of spreading the word.
