Don't be left in the dark this Halloween!

by Lindsay Robinson, HIA Program Coordinator

October 27, 2021

Halloween night is full of goblins and ghouls, hoots and howls. Many will attend events with friends and family and spend their evening trick-or-treating, at parties, or exploring outdoor events. To have fun and stay safe, it’s important to be fully aware of your surroundings and don’t be left in the dark without your ability to hear.

If you wear hearing aids, some special considerations need to be made while preparing for your upcoming event:

• If you have a costume requiring glitter, hairspray, or face paint, use extra precautions when using it around your hearing aids. Paint and sticky substances can clog parts of the hearing aid which can cause them to malfunction. Be sure to remove your hearing aids before applying face or hair products, and clean them promptly if they do get dirty.


• In many parts of the country, Halloween night can be chilly. If there is frost on the leaves then you’ll want to keep your ears warm with earmuffs or a hat. Make sure the earmuffs or hat don’t put too much pressure on your ears and you can still hear your surroundings clearly.


• Make sure your hearing aids are fully charged before you leave the house. If you use disposable batteries, be sure to pack extra in a secure but easy to access pocket or bag. Even if you put new batteries in your hearing aids just before you leave, cooler whether can shorten the lifespan of a battery and it’s always best to have extras if needed.


• Bring a flashlight for any emergencies, especially if you’ll be spending time outside. If your hearing aid or batteries get dropped or flung while removing a mask or hat, you’ll have a better (and safer) opportunity to search for them with some light.


• Don’t forget any accessories that help your hearing, such as a fully charged smartphone where you can access and personalize your hearing aid levels, or any clip on remote microphones to attach to yourself or your trick-or-treater.

Whether you have a hearing loss or not, one of the most important things to be considerate of during your festivities is the volume level of surrounding audio or conversations. Extended or repeated exposure to volume above 85db can cause hearing loss. To check how loud your environment is, you can download the NIOSH Sound Level Meter to do an instantaneous check and read more about if the sound you are being exposed to is damaging.

Remember to have fun, stay safe, and fully enjoy all of your spooky activities this Halloween!