Noise and Hypoxemia in the Intensive Care Nursery

Abstract

Noise levels in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have received intermittent attention in the pediatric literature.1-4 While risk criteria for the prevention of induced sensorineural hearing loss in adults are well established, little is known about the response of the newborn to environmental noise. The AAP Committee on Environmental Hazards3 has recommended that physicians and hospital personnel be alert to and eliminate unnecessary noise in nurseries. So far, attention has been directed primarily at incubator noise1,5 and that associated with life-support equipment.6 To our knowledge, little has been done to identify other sources of "noise pollution." We wish to report the results of measures taken in one NICU to quantitate and lower the ambient noise levels.