title: Analysis of sound pressure levels emitted by children's toys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the levels of sound pressure emitted by non-certified children's toys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of sound toys available at popular retail stores of the so-called informal sector. Electronic, mechanical, and musical toys were analyzed. The measurement of each product was carried out by an acoustic engineer in an acoustically isolated booth, by a decibel meter. To obtain the sound parameters of intensity and frequency, the toys were set to produce sounds at a distance of 10 and 50cm from the researcher's ear. The intensity of sound pressure [dB(A)] and the frequency in hertz (Hz) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  48 toys were evaluated. The mean sound pressure 10cm from the ear was 102±10 dB(A), and at 50cm, 94±8 dB(A), with p<0.05. The level of sound pressure emitted by the majority of toys was above 85dB(A). The frequency ranged from 413 to 6,635Hz, with 56.3% of toys emitting frequency higher than 2,000Hz.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of toys assessed in this research emitted a high level of sound pressure.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. pricilasleifer@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Pricila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sleifer
authors.forename: Maiara Santos
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Marinês
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomasi
authors.forename: Erissandra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011312:Pressure; D013016:Sound