To be terrified that I’ve damaged my daughter’s hearing?

[Redolent]

DD is 16 months old and I’ve been using white noise to aid her in sleeping since birth. Not loud by any means, but it’s always been there in the background.

I had a conversation with my mum earlier who mentioned it critically (‘isn’t that annoying for both of you? Maybe it’s damaging?’) I batted away her questions and didn’t really entertain them, but I did some random searching afterwards, and came across this study from 2003:

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030418081607.htm

Summary:
Exposure to continuous white noise sabotages the development of the auditory region of the brain, which may ultimately impair hearing and language acquisition, according to researchers from the University of California, San Francisco.

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Now I’m panicking and thinking I’ve damaged my daughter’s hearing/language acquisition for good She doesn’t have many words at all, which I’d just put down to her being raised in a bilingual household, and to her age of course. She doesn’t imitate sounds particularly well either, although she follows and understands most instructions very well. I don’t know, maybe I’m overthinking, but I just assumed white noise was something so many people, including myself, used for their children. It couldn’t possibly be harmful. I’d never read anything to suggest that - just to moderate the volume.

What do people think? What are your experiences with white noise?

Speech therapist here with specialism in hearing. It would be damaging if played 24/7 we do advise turning off TV and radios when talking or playing with yiyr chil for this reason. As an aid to go to sleep it's fine. In fact most recent studies show disrupted sleep is more damaging on speech and language deve so it's swings and roundabouts. Like most things dummies/walkers etc used a bit they are fine. Excessive use causes damage

Why dont you ask your HV to book a hearing test?

Thanks all for your considered opinions and explanation of the actual research itself . It’s definitely stopped the panic in its tracks (although I’m still cautious about the delay/bilingualism issue). Not sure how to proceed on that other that ramp up communication and see where we are by 18 months.

I used white noise to help my two sleep, now they never stop talking

I had exactly the same worries as you OP, my DD who is 2 had had white noise every night of her life! But not played loudly, so from what I've read online it should be fine. I think it's the combo of loud and continuous that can be an issue, quiet and just for sleeping I think is fine, she has between 100-150 words and can use short phrases so I don't think it has affected her language acquisition 👍

My first daughter was a colicky baby and struggled to self soothe so we used white noise a lot. Loud! It was the only thing that helped her sleep (and helped our sanity).
She has absolutely brilliant language acquisition and was an early talker, she’s the most fluent speaker in her nursery class, so I would say please don’t worry, I’m certain it doesn’t damage their learning! You’ll be talking throughout the day and that will have a much more beneficial effect that any (very uncertain) negative effects of white noise at night.