Fireworks and guns often were mentioned as the noise sources that caused hearing loss in a study conducted by Worthington, Dr. Patrick E. Brookhouser and master's degree holder William J. Kelly and published in Laryngoscope in June 1992.

A firecracker thrown through a car window exploded in a 14-month-old baby's ear, causing irreversible damage. Another boy suffered hearing loss after hunting and riding on dad's motorcycle repeatedly and compounded the problem by refusing to wear ear protection.

"That children as young as 14 months of age are sustaining irreversible noise damage to their auditory acuity is an alarming finding. Older youngsters who accompany parents on snowmobiles and motorcycles, or ride in 'boom' cars without ear protection are clearly at risk for noise-induced hearing loss," the study states. "Wearing a child-size motorcycle helmet or sitting in a safety seat in a boom car does not address an important health risk, namely, noise."

There has been a push to limit noise levels of children's toys. Specifications laid out by the American Society for Testing Materials in 2003 limit sound pressure to 90 dB on hand-held, table-top and crib toys when measured just under 10 inches away from the source. But those standards are voluntary.

Critics have targeted iPod personal stereo systems because people can play them far too loud. But you can regulate how loud yours goes with new software Apple introduced last spring. Or you can just use good judgment and keep the volume down, experts say.

Young tells patients with early signs of noise damage to "do everything you can to avoid the loud noise." Repeated exposures compound hearing loss.

He and Worthington both recommend that everyone invest in hearing protection, ranging from the cheap little foam inserts to a pair of electronic ear muffs, used at shooting ranges to boost soft sounds and muffle loud ones. Keep them handy and use them if noise is uncomfortably loud.

It's advice that Worthington wishes he'd followed.

"I used to be young and dumb at one time," he said, "and I used to hunt everything there was a season for, and I've got high frequency loss right now."

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E-MAIL: lois@desnews.com; jtcook@desnews.com