Is My Child Using Headphones Too Loudly? A Parent’s Guide to Safe Listening Headphones have become part of everyday childhood. Children use them for tablets, music, gaming, schoolwork, online videos, audiobooks, long car journeys, flights, and quiet time at home. For parents, this raises an important question: could my child’s headphones be too loud? The concern is sensible. Exposure to loud sounds can affect hearing, especially when repeated over time. The risk is not just about one loud moment. It is also about how loud the sound is, how long the child listens, how often they listen, and whether they are trying to drown out background noise. Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon , assesses children with ear, hearing, and paediatric ENT concerns from London, East London, Brentwood, Romford, Ilford, Redbridge, Chelmsford, and the wider Essex area. This guide explains why safe listening matters, how parents can reduce risk, and when a child may need a hearing test or ENT review....
Cholesteatoma: Why Persistent Ear Discharge Requires Specialist Investigation An occasional ear infection or fluid buildup is a common complaint that usually clears up quickly with targeted drops. However, when an ear continuously leaks a foul-smelling fluid or when a deep-seated pressure is accompanied by progressive hearing loss, it may point to a more complex condition known as a cholesteatoma . Despite its name, a cholesteatoma is not a tumour or a cancer. Instead, it is an abnormal accumulation of skin cells deep within the middle ear. Left untreated, it can act like an expanding cyst, gradually eroding the delicate structures around it. This guide explains how to recognise the signs of a cholesteatoma and why early surgical intervention is essential. What is a Cholesteatoma? A cholesteatoma typically develops from long-term pressure issues in the ear, often linked to poor Eustachian tube function—the tube connecting the middle ear to the back of the throat. If this tube...