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Is it safe? · Pregnancy Smart

Are white noise machines safe for babies?

Assigned clinical reviewerMichael Yuzefovich· MD, FACOGDraft · pending clinical reviewUpdated

What does the evidence say about sound machine volume for babies?

  1. Sound at or below 70 A-weighted decibels is unlikely to cause hearing loss even after long exposure, while long or repeated exposure to sound at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. 1
  2. Children too young to protect their own ears from loud sound depend on a caregiver to keep their hearing safe, which is guidance the NIDCD states directly rather than leaving to a child to manage. 1
  3. The EPA identifies 45 decibels indoors as the level that avoids activity interference and annoyance in homes, hospitals, and schools, and separately identifies a 24-hour average of 70 decibels as the environmental noise level not expected to cause measurable hearing loss over a lifetime. 2
  4. An estimated 12.5 percent of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19, roughly 5.2 million young people, have permanent hearing damage from excessive noise exposure, and CDC states hearing loss from loud sound is avoidable. 3
  5. Turning down the volume, moving farther away from a loud sound source, and using hearing protection when exposure cannot be reduced are the specific steps CDC names for guarding hearing against noise damage. 4
  6. NICHD's safe-sleep guidance for baby monitors recommends keeping them at least three feet from a crib, bassinet, or play yard, a placement distance that is a reasonable rule of thumb for any electronic device, including a sound machine, placed near where a baby sleeps. 5

Sound levels relevant to a baby's sleep space

LevelWhat it means
45 decibels indoorsEPA benchmark for avoiding indoor activity interference and annoyance in homes, hospitals, and schools
70 decibels, 24-hour averageEPA/NIDCD benchmark below which lifelong exposure is not expected to cause measurable hearing loss
85 decibels and aboveNIDCD threshold at which long or repeated exposure can cause hearing loss

Frequently asked questions

Can a sound machine actually damage my baby's hearing?

The device itself isn't the issue. Running one at a high volume close to the crib can put sound near or above 85 decibels, the level at which long or repeated exposure is linked to hearing loss. Volume and distance are what determine the risk, not the product.

How loud is too loud for a baby sound machine?

Sound at or below 70 decibels isn't expected to cause hearing loss even with long-term exposure, while 85 decibels and above is where long or repeated exposure becomes linked to damage. A sound machine turned up high and placed inside the crib is far more likely to reach that higher range than one playing softly across the room.

Where should I place a sound machine in the nursery?

Sound intensity drops off quickly with distance, so placing any device farther from where your baby sleeps reduces what reaches their ears. NICHD's safe-sleep guidance for baby monitors recommends at least three feet from the crib, bassinet, or play yard, a reasonable distance to apply to a sound machine too.

How can I check how loud my sound machine actually is?

A free decibel-meter app on a smartphone gives a rough reading. Set the machine to the volume you actually plan to use, hold your phone where your baby's head will be, and compare the number to the 85-decibel level linked to hearing loss with repeated exposure.

Does it matter how long the sound machine runs?

Yes. The hearing-loss risk tied to sound exposure depends on how long and how often the ear is exposed, not just the peak volume. A device playing at a moderate level for a nap is a different exposure than the same volume running all night, every night.

Is a phone app playing white noise any different from a dedicated sound machine?

The output depends on the specific device or app and how loud it's set, not on what kind of speaker it is. The same volume-and-distance approach applies either way: keep the source away from the crib and keep the volume no higher than it needs to be.

Why does the caregiver need to manage this instead of the baby just reacting to loud sound?

Older children and adults can move away from a loud source, turn it down, or say their ears hurt. NIDCD guidance is direct that children too young to protect their own ears depend on a caregiver to do it for them, which is exactly the situation with a sound machine playing next to a crib all night.

What's a safer way to use a sound machine?

Keep it across the room rather than clipped to the rail or placed inside the crib, use the lowest volume that still works for your baby, and avoid running it at a high volume for an entire night. If you're unsure, check the level with a decibel-meter app against the 85-decibel threshold linked to hearing loss with repeated exposure.

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References

  1. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

    NIDCD · https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss

  2. EPA Identifies Noise Levels Affecting Health and Welfare

    EPA · https://www.epa.gov/archive/epa/aboutepa/epa-identifies-noise-levels-affecting-health-and-welfare.html

  3. Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/noise.html

  4. Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/hearing-loss-children/about/preventing-noise-induced-hearing-loss.html

  5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    NIH NICHD · https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/reduce-risk/FAQ

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.