Division of Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Irvine, California 92868, USA.
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013 Jun;148(6):1043-7. doi: 10.1177/0194599813482293. Epub 2013 Mar 22.
To systematically evaluate the noise generated by toys targeted for children and to compare the results over the course of 4 consecutive holiday shopping seasons.
Experimental study.
Academic medical center.
During 2008-2011, more than 200 toys marketed for children older than 6 months were screened for loudness. The toys with sound output of more than 80 dBA at speaker level were retested in a soundproof audiometry booth. The generated sound amplitude of each toy was measured at speaker level and at 30 cm away from the speaker.
Ninety different toys were analyzed. The mean (SD) noise amplitude was 100 (8) dBA (range, 80-121 dBA) at the speaker level and 80 (11) dBA (range, 60-109 dBA) at 30 cm away from the speaker. Eighty-eight (98%) had more than an 85-dBA noise amplitude at speaker level, whereas 19 (26%) had more than an 85-dBA noise amplitude at a 30-cm distance. Only the mean noise amplitude at 30 cm significantly declined during the studied period (P < .001). There was no significant difference in mean noise amplitude of different toys specified for different age groups.
Our findings demonstrate the persistence of extremely loud toys marketed for very young children. Acoustic trauma from toys remains a potential risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss in this age group, warranting promotion of public awareness and regulatory considerations for manufacture and marketing of toys.
系统评估针对儿童的玩具产生的噪声，并在连续四个假期购物季中比较结果。
实验研究。
学术医疗中心。
在 2008 年至 2011 年期间，对超过 200 种针对 6 个月以上儿童销售的玩具进行了噪声筛查。对于声级输出超过 80 dBA 的玩具，在隔音测听室中进行了复测。测量每个玩具在扬声器水平和距离扬声器 30 厘米处产生的声音幅度。
分析了 90 种不同的玩具。扬声器水平的平均（SD）噪声幅度为 100（8）dBA（范围为 80-121 dBA），距离扬声器 30 厘米处的噪声幅度为 80（11）dBA（范围为 60-109 dBA）。88 个（98%）的玩具在扬声器水平上的噪声幅度超过 85 dBA，而 19 个（26%）在 30 厘米距离处的噪声幅度超过 85 dBA。仅在研究期间，扬声器水平的平均噪声幅度显著下降（P <.001）。不同年龄组指定的不同玩具的平均噪声幅度没有显著差异。
我们的研究结果表明，针对非常年幼儿童的玩具的噪声仍然非常大。玩具产生的声损伤仍然是该年龄段儿童噪声性听力损失的潜在危险因素，有必要提高公众意识，并考虑对玩具的制造和营销进行监管。
