Page 51 - Reggae Festival Guide Magazine 2018

PRoTecTing Those liTTle eaRs

~ Taking Kids to Music Festivals ~

By Dr. Nathanael Heyman (Ph.D. Physiological Sciences)

and Tracey Heyman

Anyone who enjoys live music appreciates the based points of interest here: First, decibels

“energy” experienced at a great show. There measure sound intensity using a logarithmic
are many levels to the energy, some perhaps (huh?!) scale. This simply means that small

metaphorical. Some levels of this energy increases in the number of decibels represent
are, however, very much real in the form of large increases in sound “energy.” Second, the

sound waves. Yes, the music we come to soak

in is generated by waves of energy travelling intensity of this sound “energy” decreases with
through the air around us, which eventually the square of the distance from the source.

vibrate microscopic “hair” cells inside our ears. This simply means that moving twice as far
These hair cells ultimately turn the sound from the stage lowers the sound intensity four

energy of vibration into an electrical energy our times, and vice versa. Being up front might
brain interprets as our favorite tune. The louder be exciting, but probably isn’t the best idea,

the sound, the more these ear components especially for younger ears.
move. Unfortunately, excessively loud sounds

can cause damage to these hair cells, leading 3. Recent research indicates that antioxidants (for
to both temporary and permanent hearing loss example, vitamin C) and B vitamins for nerve

(noise induced hearing loss: NIHL), especially for protection may help to reduce the damage to

the little ones among us who enjoy rocking out. hair cells and nerves. The data is not conclusive,

My wife recently brought this up as we prepared but why not!? Enjoy some fresh squeezed fruit

to take our little ones (ages two and four) to their juice with that jerk chicken! The food is half the
first reggae festival, so we did a little research, fun at a festival anyway!

including asking our ear, nose and throat (ENT)
specialist and reading some scientific literature

about protecting their ears. We came up with a
few things that can be done to help the young

ones (and big ones too) enjoy the music at

concerts and festivals safely:

1. Children should wear noise reducing

headphones. We found some easily and fairly
cheaply online. It took a little battling and

bribing with fresh squeezed lemonade, but

we managed to get the kids to wear them.

2. Most smartphones have free apps that

measure the sound intensity in decibels and Author Dr. Nathanael Heyman enjoying Kaya Fest with his daughter
indicate dangerous levels. Two mathematically Natania. Photo by Tracey Heyman

Reggae Festival guide 2018 51