Mommas, don't let your babies group up to be deaf

During a time-out at the WSU-NIU basketball game, the camera panned the fans, stopping momentarily on a dad cuddling his newborn. Seeing that baby in the noisy arena made me cringe.

The decibel level at sporting events is dangerous for everyone, but it is especially hazardous for babies and children.

Sound levels are measured in decibels (dB) with a conversation calculated around 60 dB. A poster on the K-State basketball board measured the combined volume of fans and sound system at 114-116 dB with occasional bursts to 120 dB during the KSU-KU game last Saturday.

Too many basketball fans think louder is better, but OSHA disagrees because permanent, irreversible hearing loss occurs from prolonged exposure to high sound levels.

Here are the facts: 70 dB is 10 times more intense than a 60 dB conversation, and 120 dB is 10 to the 6th power or 1,000,000 more intense than conversation. OSHA says 7.5 minutes is the maximum work time anyone should be exposed to 120 dB.

At 120 dB people don't have a sensation of pain when the tiny hair cells in their inner ears are being damaged.

My advice to fans is to leave the babies at home, put ear protectors on children, pop ear plugs in their own ears. They shouldn't be fooled into thinking louder is better.

However, if you or someone you know loves to bump up sound 1,000,000 more intense than normal, come see me next week to start sign language lessons. People who aren't careful with their ears can expect signing to be their second language.