Go on a Noise Hunt

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Follow these steps:

Use a sound level meter app like “The Sound Level Meter App” to measure the sound in different rooms in your home.
Start by checking places where you and your baby spend the most time like your living room, kitchen, or playroom.
Listen for noisy appliances (air purifier, dishwasher, dryer, etc.).
Measure other voices in your home like a family member talking on the phone.
Pay close attention to background noise like TV or music.
What does your sound level meter show when you turn noise makers off?
If you notice noises when your baby is awake, point to your ear and point out the sound to your baby, using the LSL strategies, Be a Bird Dog and Be a Director.
- Talk about the sound with your baby and see what happens when you turn it off. You could say, “That dishwasher is making a lot of swishy noises. Let’s turn it off. Listen! It’s quiet now.”
- Helping your baby learn about the absence of sound is also important to growing their spoken language skills!
Use the “How To” tips in this lesson to address the noise and to make listening easier for your baby.

What you observe matters! Take note of your listening environment and what your baby hears.

When you go on a noise hunt, what do you discover about noise around your house?
How does your baby respond to sounds from a distance? How do they respond to a family member talking in another room, routine sounds like the garage door opening, etc.?
If you change how or where you say something to your baby, how does their response change? How do they respond when you use a sing-song voice? Or when you move closer? Write down your observations to share with your interventionist.
What are some difficult listening environments for your baby? Talk to your pediatric audiologist about how to use a remote microphone to help your baby have the best possible access to sound in any environment.

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