Recommendations for Noise Cancelling Headphones?

[tmj212]

My 2 yo son is afraid of fireworks because of the noise. He also sometimes complains of things being too loud (like the radio in the car) when they aren't. We had FP+ for Illiminations (my favorite) and Wishes during our last trip. Both experiencces were pretty much ruined because my little guy started freaking out (DH carried him out the first time, and then for the second he started freaking even before the show started, so DH took him to ride some rides).

I assigned the task of getting noise cancelling head phones for my DS to my husband before our last trip. He went to the dollar store and just got some regular headphones--which I didn't know until we arrived. While they provided a little comfort to my son to have his ears covered, they didn't work. We're heading back in a few weeks and I wanted to pick up some better head phones to see if they will help.

Any recommendations for headphones designed for this purpose would be appreciated.

TIA!

 

[Tomh]

There are headphones made for construction type work that do a pretty good job of muffling the noise. Around my area, I see lawn maintenance workers wearing them frequently. Perhaps you could ask a local lawn contractor if they use them, and if so, what brand they use / where they get them.

 

[lovethattink]

When my son needed head phones and we didn't want to spend a fortune because we didn't know if he'd wear them. We went to Lowe's and got a construction pair.

Now he uses those little orange sponge - type ones you put in your ears.

 

[mountdew1]

Are you looking for active or passive? Active cancelling ones tend to be a bit expensive, (although there are some cheaper versions) and essentially block the sound by listening to what is out there and then playing an opposite sound wave. You can see some reviews/prices here -> http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2115378,00.asp I'd be leery of getting something like that for my child, especially because the white noise they generate as part of the cancelling can be just as annoying as the actual sound to some people. Passive blocking ones are basically what construction workers would wear, they just keep the sound out. You can pick those up on Amazon for ~$20 or so, I think the pair we have is by Benz. Seems to work pretty good, we have used them at concerts and while vacuuming.

 

[MischaOz]

We have the Peltor Junior earmuffs from Amazon and those have worked well for my daughter.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We have the Peltor Junior earmuffs from Amazon and those have worked well for my daughter.

We used the Peltor Junior ones for my sensory sensitive daughter and they worked great. Comfortable and great at reducing the noise. They are considered noise-reducing headphones, not noise-cancelling. We bought ours from Amazon. They come in a variety of colors.

 

[rwdavis2]

You want noise muffing not cancelling. Cancelling ones will not act fast enough to cancel the noise. Lok at the kind use at shooting ranges or airport workers that cover the ear.

 

[CatKel1202]

We got a pair designed for the shooting range from our local hunting-type store. Just got back and they worked great for my noise-sensitive 4 year old. My favorite part about it was that they mainly block out high-decibel sounds, so he would wear them and enjoy the fireworks, but could still hear me when I asked him a question.

 

[mfly]

Agree with all the above: I have Bose QC25s. If I were trying not to block out firework noise, I would use a pair of noise blocking earmuffs at ~ $20 over the Bose I already own.

 

[xlxo]

Electronic/active noise cancelling headphones will NOT work for fireworks. Fireworks appear random, there is no pattern to muffle out. 2yr olds may be too small for contractor headphones. Another option is to watch from afar instead of under the blast zone.

Doing a quick search on amazon for "baby headphones". I found this...
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Banz-EMBB-Hearing-Protection/dp/B007BEHSDU/ref=sr_1_1

You might want to do some research and check out the reviews for other Amazon products.

 

[tabrizia]

We got ear protection rather then noise cancelling headphone. We got the Snug Safe n Sound Kids Earmuffs for all 3 of my kids off Amazon. They all like them and say they work well to reduce the noise and issues they have with fireworks.

 

[mshanson3121]

My 2 yo son is afraid of fireworks because of the noise. He also sometimes complains of things being too loud (like the radio in the car) when they aren't. We had FP+ for Illiminations (my favorite) and Wishes during our last trip. Both experiencces were pretty much ruined because my little guy started freaking out (DH carried him out the first time, and then for the second he started freaking even before the show started, so DH took him to ride some rides).

I assigned the task of getting noise cancelling head phones for my DS to my husband before our last trip. He went to the dollar store and just got some regular headphones--which I didn't know until we arrived. While they provided a little comfort to my son to have his ears covered, they didn't work. We're heading back in a few weeks and I wanted to pick up some better head phones to see if they will help.

Any recommendations for headphones designed for this purpose would be appreciated.

TIA!

Have you ever had him assessed by an occupational therapist for sensory issues? Might be worth while.

Meanwhile, if you go on Amazon and search children's noise canceling headphones, you'll find lots. Just make sure they're rated for a high decibel level. You can also look on www.therapro.com. They specialize in occupational therapy items, including the headphones. Reasonable prices, too. We bought industrial grade ones from our local tractor pull arena. Also, depending on his level of sensitivity, you may want to use wax earplugs plus the headphones

 

[Micca]

Have you considered inexpensive earplugs--like the kind they sell at concerts? I think you can get them in a number of places like convenience stores, or probably Walmart, Walgreens, etc. They're very cheap, and might be more comfortable than headphones for a child that age. If they get lost it's no big deal to purchase another pair. I'm assuming the purpose is strictly to reduce sounds, not for listening to music.

 

[supersnoop]

There are active noise cancelling headphones designed for gun ranges, which would work perfectly for fireworks. I'd expect the Bose headphones to respond quick enough, too.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Have you considered inexpensive earplugs--like the kind they sell at concerts? I think you can get them in a number of places like convenience stores, or probably Walmart, Walgreens, etc. They're very cheap, and might be more comfortable than headphones for a child that age. If they get lost it's no big deal to purchase another pair. I'm assuming the purpose is strictly to reduce sounds, not for listening to music.

Many children who are sensory sensitive won't tolerate anything in their ears. My daughter was that way. I initially tried both foam and wax earplugs, but she wouldn't tolerate either. But she would voluntarily ask for the headphones when noises were too loud for her.

 

[larryz]

We got a pair designed for the shooting range from our local hunting-type store. Just got back and they worked great for my noise-sensitive 4 year old. My favorite part about it was that they mainly block out high-decibel sounds, so he would wear them and enjoy the fireworks, but could still hear me when I asked him a question.

Perfect solution! Peltor (3M) models aren't all that expensive, but they fit very tightly -- try a few out at a sporting goods store before you buy. They won't work at all if the DS won't wear them...