Ear protection for children

[Andy H]

My brother is planing to take his 5 year old son to the BTCC at Donington but wanted to use some sort of ear proctection for the kid due to the noise

Can anyone suggest what type of ear protectors would be suitable and where is a good place to buy them.........

[1200Datto27]

I can't tell you where to get them, otherthan safety wear shops, but Peltor make a very good quality hearing protector range. Make sure that it has a minimum rating of h7, and preferably a h10 as any damage done to a five year olds hearing will most likely be permanent. Try and get ones that have a recognised standard on them as well, and are comfortable for the child to wear.

The in-ear plugs work as well if you get the good ones, but may be a little large for a childs ear.

[Stephen Green]

My advice is to go to your local gun or sporting shop and get a pair of ear defenders used for clay pidgeon shooting. I've been using them for years and they are extremely efficient.

[paul-collins]

Yes, the muffs are a better option for children than the plugs - they have less sound attenuation (25dB versus ~30 for the plugs, depending on the brand) but are easier for you to get on properly, and ensure they stay that way.

[thebear]

Originally posted by paul-collins
Yes, the muffs are a better option for children than the plugs - they have less sound attenuation (25dB versus ~30 for the plugs, depending on the brand) but are easier for you to get on properly, and ensure they stay that way.

Also easier to determine if they are still fitted!

It seems to me that this topic was discussed last year. try a search

[McKay]

I dont see why you really need them for BTCC events, they're not that loud really. But that could be my damaged hearing from using ear-phones and listening to loud music.

[redshoes]

The Cheeky Girls are at Donington that weekend. You might want to take some ear protection for yourself as well.

[E. Becclestone]

The safety shop muffles are better for kids- offering more db protection.....I think I paid £6 for my son's set. But if he can't get any in time, tell him to drop into the press centre at the circuit- they'll understand his situation & will probably give him & his son a free set of squeezy foam types that expand after you've rolled them up & put them in your ear. (As an ever caring parental member of the press, I normally carry a pocket full of sealed pairs around, and give them out to any kids I see :-).
A wise thing to do though IMHO- better to be safe than sorry- kids hearing is much more sensitive than adults (especially if he gets some sort of pit walkabout access pass granted) .....

[Andrew Kitson]

Just found this thread.
I would say that only F1 or drag racing would be a must for kids to use ear protection.
Especially Santa Pod. It is far louder than F1 unless you get in the Monaco tunnel I guess! Nothing can prepare the body for the blast of two top fuel dragsters on launch however many times you have seen them. I have seen kids there frightened to death after a run. They are so loud all of the car alarms go off in the car park and that is way back behind the high spectator bank. The jet cars are loud too but they do not make the ground shake like the 6000bhp TF cars do.
I had a press pass at the Pod earlier this year and stood right by the startline. Good quality ear plugs were not enough. Boy did it hurt, but I was only 5 feet away!
Essential I would say if taking children drag racing.

[JimW]

Apart from gross overload (explosion type), hearing damage is an exposure over time issue. So don't go anywhere loud for a long time.

Make sure that the defenders are comfortable. Really good protection is no use at all if it is too uncomfortable to wear.

I would avoid many shooting type ones. Many of these try to work on little or no attenuation for continuous sound and very heavy blocking for impulsive sounds. Most motor racing would not trigger this effect.

Having said that, unless he (and you) were where you should not be (in the pits), I would be a bit surprised if you were exposed to levels which were damaging, even for a child. But certainly take all precautions until he is old enough to regard you as a wimp and go stand behind a BOSS car because that's where the noise is finest. (At the VSCC meeting at Donington recently, being in the garage when they were running the 2002 Ferrari up was magnificent. ;P )

Regards

Jim

[Sheila M]

Personally speaking, I would always recommend that children wear some kind of ear defenders, as it's not so much the constant noise that does the damage but the pitch. I know to my cost - I burst an eardrum whilst spectating at the 1989 GP at Silverstone. It was the Ferraris that did it!