Have I damaged their hearing? Worried sick

[Floraspony]

Took my children to an outdoor hour long (children's) music show on holiday. We were sitting at the front so reasonably close to the speakers, although they were positioned up high at the front at either side of the audience.

The show was really quite loud, intermittent short bursts of intense noise, with continuous loudness throughout. I found it really unnerving at the time but didn't want to spoil the fun and march them out, but was kicking myself at not having ear defenders.

After a google search I'm now pretty concerned about hearing damage. I'm sure at moments it must have rocketed up to those very high dangerous ranges, it was making me feel nauseous.

Does anyone have any words or reassurance or advice? Any audiologists out there or anyone with experience with this and it all turned out fine?

Theyre only 1 and 4. Feeling so guilty and worried.

Hopefully not! I would never have taken a 4 year old to a loud show though, and not next to the speakers. And DEFINITELY not a 1 year old. What on earth were you thinking? I would make an appointment with the GP. Get their ears checked out.

It was a children's show of the lion king performed by the hotels kids club!
there were other babies and preschoolers there including newborns.
so I was thinking it would be fine...

It was a children’s show. I’m sure it will be fine. I wouldn’t even give it a second thought.

I am sure they are fine! Ear defenders are a modern thing. I'm sure most hearing damage comes from prolonged exposure.

For what it's worth the hearing test might worry you more than comfort you. My son had some hearing loss at his last one- post cold residual stuffiness- which can be quite common and is slowly sorting itself out over a year. But should be back to normal eventually.

Please don’t worry, it was a kids show on holiday, they will be fine?.

I would be worried too but hopefully it will be ok as it was a one off for one hour.

I don't get why people think it'll be ok because it was a children's show...that doesn't mean the equipment was within regulation or under a certain decibel level!!!

I wouldn't even give this a second thought. My watch said that noise levels were dangerously high at my 4 year old's end of term assembly. Did they enjoy the show?

What an over reaction.

Op I'm sure your children will be absolutely fine, it was a childrens show outside not at an indoor venue. Although ear defenders for your younger one is a good idea for lots of activities. I wish they had been more easily avaible when mine where younger we couldn't take DS to the fireworks for years as he was to scared of the noise.

They will most likely do far more damage to their own hearing when they are older teenagers (and you won't be able to do anything about it).

Exactly this. ^ As I said, hopefully the OP has not done any damage to her childrens ears, but the UNDERreaction on here (from a few posters) is rather worrying.

I would definitely take them to the GP for a check up on their ears. Chances are they are fine, but I would have to check.

@MigGril

What an overreaction @HeySummerWhereAreYou

I suggest you read the OP's first post properly before aiming rude and obnoxious comments at me.

She said The show was really quite loud, intermittent short bursts of intense noise, with continuous loudness throughout

Try reading her first post again!

Thank you everyone for your replies.
I kept looking around to check whether other parents appeared concerned, or any children looked upset by the noise.

Everyone else seemed fine, including my children, who, unlike me were having a great time. I kept checking with both if they were fine to stay, neither wanted to leave

I may take up the advice to take them to the GP, but the last thing I want to do is ruin a lovely memory, and worse, instil anxiety/ health anxiety in them - more damaging, potentially than the noise exposure.

I also wonder whether I was experiencing major sensory overload, I'm 6 weeks pregnant and finding myself to be quite on edge!

Thing is - what could you do anyway ?

it will be fine. Relax 😌

I'm sure my dc got exposed to lots of loud noises - they are all grown now and ear defenders weren't a thing - and they are fine. I'm not sure what difference a look by the gp would makes anyways. I would just right it off to experience and try to limit future exposure.

I think we all have moments where we look back on judgements we’ve made as parents and question if we did the right thing but please don’t beat yourself up especially when pregnant! It’s hard always making decisions! Not knowing if you are being over the top and ruining the fun or not! If you are worried talk to the gp but if it was a show for children I’d guess it would be fine x

It's fine.

It's repeated noise which is the issue, else there'd be no-one alive who wasn't deaf!! Think how many times children get excited and shriek in each other's ears, for example, or play in a school brass band or orchestra.

Please don't worry OP. If you start to get lots of episodes where you are very worried, perhaps mention it to your midwife when you next see her.

This happened to me too! Also at a kid's show, but the volume was so high I could feel my sternum vibrating in time to the bass. I complained to a member of staff, who looked at me like I had two heads.

Anyway, one of my DC is a bit deaf - but she also had glue ear and a burst eardrum as a child,and the audiologist said that these had damaged her hearing. The other DC has perfectly good hearing.