White Noise & Baby Development

White noise is defined as repetitive background sound that consists of multiple frequencies with equal intensities. It may just be simple background noise, however, its impact on babies is far more complex. White noise has benefits and risks, so find a balance when integrating white noise into your baby's life.

  1. What is White Noise?

    • Background sounds like the whir of a fan, whoosh of the air conditioner or the running of a vacuum cleaner, washing machine or dishwasher are all considered white noise. Parents can also create white noise for babies with CDs that play sounds of crashing ocean waves, a babbling brook or other soothing nature sounds. Another option is a white noise machine that creates monotonous sounds.

    Benefits of White Noise

    • Life on the outside is vastly different for babies, so creating an environment that mimics the inside of the womb can be comforting. The monotonous sounds of white noise are similar to those that babies heard while in utero. Many parents have found that exposing their babies to white noise soothes crying, fussiness or colic. When babies are sleeping, white noise can also be used to drown out normal sounds that could otherwise wake them.

    How White Noise Impacts Development

    • In April 2003, the journal "Science" published results of a study suggesting constant exposure to white noise could cause a delay in the development of the brain's hearing center. For the study, Edward Chang and other University of California-San Francisco researchers exposed rat pups to constant white noise that was loud enough to drown out normal sounds but not so loud as to damage their hearing. The researchers recorded brain development reduction as a result. The exposed rats' hearing development did not catch up to unexposed rats until they were at least three times older. However, once exposure to the white noise was discontinued, the rats' hearing development did mature and they were able to recognize a varied range of sounds.

    White Noise in Baby's Life

    • Despite his research, Chang does not believe that white noise impacts a baby's hearing development in the same way as rats, as parents do not expose their babies to white noise all day. According to Chang, talking or singing to babies during their waking hours can counteract any negative impact of white noise usage during nap or nighttime. Furthermore, the University of Michigan Health System actually recommends using white noise to combat colic in babies. The site suggests wearing your baby in a carrier while vacuuming, running the clothes dryer, using a white noise machine or recreating sounds babies hear in utero by making "shushing" noises.

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