As someone with less than perfect hearing, and as the granddaughter of a man who was nearly completely deaf, I've always been cranky about how ridiculously loud many kids' toys are. I have, like Mombian suggests, covered speakers on toys with duct tape. Some of the toys my kids have haven't ever had batteries put in them, and that was even better!

The Sight and Hearing Association has released their annual Noisy Toy list, which you really ought to check out.

There's a Dora van on the list, along with a Wiggles Jukebox and a nursery rhyme CD player that's recommended for kids as young as six months.

Back in November I wrote about a website called Listen to your Buds! You'll find lots of great information about noise and hearing loss there, too.

The Sight and Hearing Association's website says it best, "Hearing damaged by noise is permanently lost and cannot be repaired. Hearing aids amplify sound for remaining hearing, but they do not fix hearing like eye glasses fix vision."