what's the effect of white noise on infants

White noise may soothe infants and help them sleep, but prolonged exposure during development could interfere with auditory-system maturation; whether nighttime use in human infants causes harm remains uncertain.

• Rodent studies: Pups raised in continuous white noise showed delayed maturation of the auditory cortex, and animal studies found disruption in the brain’s frequency-organized auditory maps. These findings raise a concern, but do not establish the same effect in human infants. 1 2
• Structured sounds and human evidence: Developing brains use meaningful, structured sounds to organize hearing. The human effects—particularly when white noise is used only during sleep—are not clear, and the relevant studies have not established a definitive answer. 3 4
• Adults: In adults, low-level white noise may support learning by increasing alertness; the established auditory maps are no longer developing. 5
• Practical caution: Consider avoiding continuous white noise for very young children when possible, and consider more natural, structured sounds that may also soothe a baby. 6