Sound is detected through a series of nerve conduction processes. One crucial component is the delicate 'hair cells' in the inner ear that respond to sound waves.   While some effects may be temporary and hair cell regeneration can occur after a few days of rest, more severe effects can be irreversible. Exposure to noise can damage these cells, leading to hearing loss or even deafness. While some effects may be temporary and hair cell regeneration can occur after a few days of rest, more severe effects can be irreversible. Babies and fetuses are more vulnerable to noise than adults.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has reviewed the impact of noise on fetuses and newborns in their report 'Noise: A Hazard for the Fetus and Newborn'. AAP believes that long-term exposure to a noisy environment may lead to premature delivery, fetal birth weight loss, and fetal hearing loss in high frequency for the fetus. For newborns, noise may cause cochlear injury, and for premature infants, it may also affect development.

In other words, AAP clearly believes that noise is harmful to the fetus and baby. Often, this harm is gradual and subtle. Initially, one may simply perceive the sound as being too loud and not a serious issue. However, by the time hearing loss is detected, the damage has already been done.  Additionally, we must be particularly mindful of the harm that noise can cause to individuals. This is especially important to consider for infants, who are unable to communicate the effects of noise exposure.

The harm caused by noise is determined by both its intensity and duration. Therefore, when discussing the safety of noise, it is important to consider both factors. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, newborns should not be exposed to ambient noise levels exceeding 45 decibels at any time. There is currently no accurate data available regarding the effects of noise on children. However, a simple standard for judging harmful noise is whether someone can hear you clearly when you speak at a normal volume in a noisy environment. If not, the background noise is already harmful. In general, an environment with a noise level exceeding 60 dB is considered harmful.

The American Hearing Research Foundation (AHRF) has compiled statistics on the noise tolerance of adults. It is believed that in a 90 dB environment, adults can stay up to 8 hours a day. In a 100 dB environment, adults can spend up to 2 hours a day. At 115 decibels, adults should spend no more than 15 minutes a day. For children, the recommended exposure limits are much stricter.

As previously mentioned, even if the noise is heard from inside the home, the noise level of outdoor firecrackers is typically between 100-150 dB, which can cause hearing damage to babies in as little as 15-30 minutes. For babies, the noise of firecrackers during the Spring Festival can be a significant issue. If fireworks are not prohibited in your area, it is important to be mindful of this.

In fact, preventing noise is difficult. There are three main ways:

To reduce noise: 

1. Use anti-noise ear muffs. Many products of this kind are available for children's sound insulation. 

2. It is especially necessary to use them during the New Year holidays in Chinese families.

Keep away from noise sources as much as possible. In addition to avoiding fireworks in places where they are prohibited, it is also important to prevent excessive noise from toys in daily life. This is especially important because babies often play with toys for extended periods of time, and domestic toys can produce very loud sounds that can damage their hearing.

Many newborns in big cities already undergo this important screening.  It is recommended that every newborn baby undergo this screening at least once. Hearing screening for newborn babies is highly recommended, especially for families with hereditary hearing problems.