Protecting your child’s hearing is as important as protecting the rest of her well-being. With Christmas right around the corner, here are some toys to avoid if you want to ensure that your child’s auditory health.

1. Fisher Price Learning Letters Mailbox

2. Sesame Street Help Along Sing a Song

3. Black & Decker Junior Chainsaw

4. LeapFrog Fridge Farm

5. Transformers PowerBots Megatron Action Figure

6. Road Rippers Turbo Wheelie Corvette

7. First Act Discovery Rockin’ Rhythm Guitar

8. Learn & Groove Counting Maracas

9. VTech Learn and Discover Driver

10. Road Rippers Rush & Rescue Ambulance

All of these toys produce sounds about 90Db, a level which has been linked to hearing loss. Because hearing loss is culmulative and the direct causes are difficult to pinpoint, these toys are all freely available.
If you do purchase these toys, know that they carry an increased risk of hearing loss for your children. To minimize this risk, try taking out the batteries, putting tape over the speakers, or making your child wear ear muffs while playing with them.