TC_Shadow Posted November 22, 2009 Report Posted November 22, 2009 Want to play some classical stuff for the little one (get them started on hi-fi while they are young What's the range of dB (C-weighted) safe for babies < 6month?
luvdunhill Posted November 22, 2009 Report Posted November 22, 2009 What's the range of dB (C-weighted) safe for babies < 6month? in utero or ex utero?
deepak Posted November 22, 2009 Report Posted November 22, 2009 (edited) Wow.... Have you been around your baby? Have you noticed he/she is very sensitive to any sounds? Should this give you a hint to only play music very quietly? Edited November 22, 2009 by deepak
TC_Shadow Posted November 22, 2009 Author Report Posted November 22, 2009 Wow.... Have you been around your baby? Have you noticed he/she is very sensitive to any sounds? Should this give you a hint to only play music very quietly? yes, yes and yes. That's why I asked for a "range" so I know the min dB I need before babies can't hear it anymore (I wasn't clear in the title to say the min limit, I can understand why you assume limit automatically means "max")
deepak Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 yes, yes and yes. That's why I asked for a "range" so I know the min dB I need before babies can't hear it anymore (I wasn't clear in the title to say the min limit, I can understand why you assume limit automatically means "max") I don't think audiophiles will know the answer to that. And if someone did give you a range, would you really trust the source? I some how doubt there was a study done for such a thing as well. Common sense dictates to keep it very quiet.
mypasswordis Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 There's no way your baby's brain is going to grow exponentially faster causing it to become the next Einstein or Heifetz by your playing classical music before it understands it's different from just background noise.
GPH Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 Whatever you do, don't bring your baby to a Manowar concert.
TC_Shadow Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Posted November 23, 2009 I don't think audiophiles will know the answer to that. And if someone did give you a range, would you really trust the source? I some how doubt there was a study done for such a thing as well. Common sense dictates to keep it very quiet. ok. I will be very very quite...
morphsci Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 HERE is a good place to start. Basically, at birth an infants hearing is, on average, very close to that of an adult, on average. I would certainly start on the quiet side and also not play music with huge dynamic peaks. If you can hear it then it is highly probable that the child can hear it. I certainly would not claim that playing classical music will make one smarter but it also is likely to have SOME effect. There are actually quite a few studies in the primary literature. When our son was born I did do a bit of research.
mypasswordis Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 I personally think the "Mozart effect" is a bunch of BS but that's just me. Well, my music history teacher thinks the same. Listening to classical music temporarily boosts IQ or spatial reasoning? Most of the smart people I know don't listen to classical and then there's music majors.
Hopstretch Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 Neither of my two children have ever respected my desire for a decibel limit. Particularly at night.
Beefy Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 I personally think the "Mozart effect" is a bunch of BS but that's just me. And the whole 'babies can hear in the womb' thing. It is physiologically impossible for an unborn baby to hear.
morphsci Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 I personally think the "Mozart effect" is a bunch of BS but that's just me. Well, my music history teacher thinks the same. Listening to classical music temporarily boosts IQ or spatial reasoning? Most of the smart people I know don't listen to classical and then there's music majors. Well, no offense to your music teacher but my guess is that he/she did not have many courses in neuroscience or developmental biology. It is not about IQ, it is about neural pathways and how they are constructed during development (with development being in the broad context of the time between fertilization and death). Since our understanding is pretty primitive at the moment, it may be prudent to keep an open mind. Bottom line is it is unlikely to hurt anything as long as the sound levels are kept low. Even if it does nothing more than provide a safe and sharing environment that is likely to be a positive for emotional and cognitive development.
morphsci Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 And the whole 'babies can hear in the womb' thing. It is physiologically impossible for an unborn baby to hear. REALLY?
mypasswordis Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 I agree that it doesn't hurt, but right now I'm not really a believer, based on my personal experience. Also, I dislike how people group "classical" music into some kind of complex, serene, neural pathway building exercise. In fact, it contains some of the most dynamic, chaotic, arrhythmic, stress-inducing sounds one can conceive. Even some Mozart is quite exciting.
Beefy Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 REALLY? Yes. There is a difference between sensing and hearing. The electrochemical gradient required by the stria vascularis is far too energy intensive for the oxygen content of the blood at that stage of development.
TC_Shadow Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Posted November 23, 2009 I am not out to prove some scientific theory, I just want to do he right thing. Morphsci, thanks for your explanation, that was very helpful.
morphsci Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 Yes. There is a difference between sensing and hearing. The electrochemical gradient required by the stria vascularis is far too energy intensive for the oxygen content of the blood at that stage of development. Given our current models of physiological demands which may not be entirely correct. I prefer to be less didactic and remain open to the possibility, but your point is well taken. I am also not out to proselytize this theory.
morphsci Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 .... Also, I dislike how people group "classical" music into some kind of complex, serene, neural pathway building exercise. In fact, it contains some of the most dynamic, chaotic, arrhythmic, stress-inducing sounds one can conceive. Even some Mozart is quite exciting. Oh, I agree completely but I do not think that the music necessarily needs to be serene, although some people may say that. I also agree about the Mozart.
mypasswordis Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 (edited) Nice choice of words and open mind, which I guess leads to my main point. Personally I think the main cause of a child's ability to think and do well is due to the parents caring enough about nurturing their children to go through all these steps, which may or may not be proven to have an effect. Haha, I'm glad you got my slight jab at Mozart. Edited November 23, 2009 by mypasswordis whoops, wrong word
Beefy Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 Given our current models of physiological demands which may not be entirely correct. I prefer to be less didactic and remain open to the possibility, but your point is well taken. I am also not out to proselytize this theory. Well, it has been 10 years since I studied this stuff, but it is a pretty fundamental thing that would need to change. Though I doubt you'll find many direct studies on human infants......
ecclesand Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 Thrash metal at around 100db while locked in a dark room for hours on end.
morphsci Posted November 23, 2009 Report Posted November 23, 2009 .... Though I doubt you'll find many direct studies on human infants......
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