Halloween Hearing Safety Tips

While the kids might be trick or treating, adults use this holiday to have fun too.

When celebrating Halloween, whether you have a hearing impairment or not, keep several safety tips in mind. Trick-or-treating in the dark can make it more difficult to see certain things and also to hear in your surroundings. Many houses play spooky music, and there are many distractions while walking around your neighborhood.

Following are some Halloween safety tips to ensure you can have a healthy, safe and enjoyable night, and the only thing you will have to worry about on Halloween is how much fun-size candy you eat.

Halloween Parties

If you are hosting a Halloween party, keep the volume down. If you are a guest at a Halloween party and you can’t control the music’s volume, you can occasionally leave the room or step outside to give your ears a break from the noise.

Consider your Costume

Halloween is the time for dress-up. If your costume involves wigs, hats, and other headpieces, it might interfere with your hearing aids. If these costumes get caught on your hearing aids, it could rip them out or cause them to get lost. You should also avoid helmets and costumes that go over your ears or face. These costumes can muffle your hearing further and make it difficult to hear the world around you.

You should also consider putting reflective tape somewhere on your and your child’s costume, especially if you plan on walking. While this is recommended for everyone, it’s doubly important for people with hearing loss. You might not be able to hear cars or motorcycles heading your way, and they might not be able to see you in the dark.

Keep Your Ears Warm

If you are going to be outside for many hours going Trick-or-Treating, make sure your ears are well covered. Being outside in the cold reduces blood flow to the ears, increasing the risk of ear infections. Wear ear warmers or earmuffs to avoid this.

Check Hearing Aids  

If you are a parent who wears hearing aids, make sure they are functioning properly so you can be aware of everything happening around the group of children you are with. If your child wears hearing aids, make sure they are cleaned and put fresh batteries in to avoid any issues communicating while engaging in Halloween fun.

Be aware that the cold weather shortens the life span of hearing aid batteries. If you plan to be out during the day and into the night, consider bringing along a back-up pair of batteries that can be used if needed.

Stay In a Group  

If your children are old enough to go Trick-or-Treating on their own, set up a plan and a route before they leave and when you expect them to be home. Make sure they have a way to get in contact with you.

If you suspect you may have some degree of hearing loss, PEI offers comprehensive hearing evaluations and customized treatment plans. For more information on PEI’s services call 215.780.3180.